I am at a loss for words when it comes to reviewing this book, as it was a mind-bending psychological thriller that has left me trying to make sense of all the craziness. The story is filled with twisted and dysfunctional “relationships,” yet I found myself captivated and thoroughly enjoying it. It makes me question what that says about me! I can’t spill all the tea without ruining the surprise, but let me tell you, the plot had more twists and turns than a pretzel. Just when you think you have it all figured out, another layer of madness is revealed. It was so good though! Thanks NetGalley and Atria books for the ARC!

I've really enjoyed Megan Collins' previous books, but this one didn't quite engage me like her prior books had. I didn't love any of the characters and considered DNF-ing a few times. But I will say I didn't see where the story was going at all - it was well executed, even if I didn't super connect with the characters or general story line. And I did like the ending. So overall, 3.5 stars.

All I can say is WOW! The premise alone sucked me in, but it was the sympathetic view of a truly lonely, heartbroken person that kept me reading. We’ve all been there, and the way Collins handles those messy emotions grounds the story once the twists began. And, oh boy, do the twists deliver! I loved it.

Rosie was dumped in her wedding dress and then had an emergency life saving heart transplant. A year later she begins chatting with her donor’s widower. As she gets to know him, she wonders if there’s more to his past marriage.. and his wife’s death.

While Rosie is not quite the loveable character, I was hooked from the beginning. Maybe that is what I liked about this. Rosie is a morally grey character; obsessive and clingy, but still endearing to the reader. There were a lot of twists and you can tell from the very beginning that not all is as it seems. I had a few ideas but was completely wrong!

“And maybe sometimes what looks like crazy is just an attempt at taking back control.”

Cross My Heart comes out 1/14.

This was easily the best book I read in September and will be a favorite of 2024.

I have never read anything like this! I LOVED THE PREMISE with DonorConnect and the story was just masterfully written, devised and kept me guessing the entire time. I’ve read other Collins’ books, but this was easily her best - this was truly a masterpiece!

Rosie Lachlan, a heart transplant patient, becomes romantically obsessed with her donor's husband, Morgan Thorne. After receiving a life-saving heart transplant, Rosie suspects her donor is Daphne Thorne, Morgan's late wife. She begins messaging Morgan anonymously and believes they are meant to be together now that she has Daphne's heart. As Rosie and Morgan communicate, secrets are revealed about his past marriage, leaving Rosie to question his involvement in his wife's death and whether she is in danger of another broken heart.

This novel offers a captivating blend of suspense, intrigue, and unexpected plot twists that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. As I delved into the story, I found myself swept away by the fast-paced narrative, making it difficult to fully grasp the unfolding events. However, upon closer examination, the true depth and potential of the story became apparent.

The protagonist, Rosie, is a relatable and endearing character who faces challenges with grace and resilience. Despite encountering unsavory individuals along her journey, Rosie's unwavering kindness and reliability shine through. The unexpected twist in the plot took me by surprise, adding an extra layer of complexity to Rosie's character.

The underlying message of the story is a powerful one - kindness is a priceless virtue that can make a significant impact on others. Rosie's unwavering commitment to helping those around her serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of compassion and understanding.

For readers who enjoy a thrilling mix of suspense, drama, and mystery, this book is must-read. Prepare to be captivated by the intricate plot twists and engaging narrative that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Thank you, Atria books for digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

2.5 ⭐️ (Rounded down to 2). I know I’m in the minority with this one but ughhh, I just didn’t like it. I literally hated every single character, especially the main character Rosie. The story itself actually starts off pretty good, then begins to drag midway through and the end…it was a just a big unrealistic mess. I guess you could say there were some twists here and there. I will also give props to the author for the fact that even though I hated the characters and found it to be unrealistic, I was still curious to see what would happen. I hate to say it but I don’t think Megan Collins books are for me. While I enjoyed The Family Plot (gave it 4 stars). I hated Thicker Than Water (gave it 1 star). Sadly this will probably be the last book of hers that I read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

To see other reviews I’ve left, check out my Instagram and Goodreads pages:
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*Goodreads - Cherihy808

Thank you Atria Books & Netgalley!

I am such a fan of Megan Collins writing, so I was super excited to get an early copy of this one! It’s a quick & unique thriller that kept me guessing through the book. I thought I for sure had the plot twist figured out but I didn’t. Definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a quick thriller with depth.

This book was a pleasant surprise. The first half was a little slow, but once the 2nd half started I was hooked. I also had no idea the ending that would happen and was so surprised when we got there.

Twisted, kept my attention. I wasn't sure which way it was going to go in the beginning but i was pleasantly surprised.

This was pretty good. It started off really strong for me. Honestly though, the second half of the book was just. I don't know that it was an accurate OR relevant portrayal of female relationships and womanhood. Definitely fast-paced and bingeable though.

Megan Collins has done it again! Her latest novel, Cross My Heart, is a gripping domestic thriller that had me hooked from the very beginning. The pacing was incredibly fast, and the plot was skillfully crafted. I've been a fan of Megan Collins for a while now, and her ability to consistently create fresh and original storylines never ceases to amaze me. The main character in this novel is a complex mix of endearing, intriguing, mesmerizing, and at times a little terrifying, which makes for a truly unforgettable reading experience. Cross My Heart is an absolute must-read for fans of mystery and suspense – it's a solid 5-star book!

Cross My Heart is a twisty book about a girl named Rosie, who has been quite unlucky in love and life. She was at the hospital for a heart transplant at just the right time to receive one from a perfect match who just had an "unfortunate" accident at the perfect moment that helped save her life. Rosie starts talking to her donors husband over the donor connect service for families of donors and recipients. From there, it's a rollercoaster ride to the end. I enjoyed this book, it was well written and kept you hanging on to the very end.

I would highly recommend Cross My Heart by Megan Collins. It's a gripping tale of female obsession, passionate love, and getting too attached until it bleeds!

Also, there are a lot of Taylor Swift references, so if you’re a swiftie then I think you’ll enjoy this book!

Thank you NetGalley, Megan Collins, and team for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A gripping read that I could not put down. It’s the story of Rosie, heart transplant recipient and recently heart broken by the love of her life. Her journey and eventual epiphany regarding her life is both thought provoking and inspirational.

The whole time I was reading this, I kept thinking of the Dobler/Dahmer Theory from How I Met Your Mother. ("The theory that when two people are into each other, a big romantic gesture works, such as Lloyd Dobler's boombox gesture in Say Anything. But if one person is not into the other, it comes off as "serial-killer crazy" a la Jeffrey Dahmer.") There were some obvious twists here and the pool of who the killer could be was pretty small, making it kind of obvious, but it didn't detract from enjoying the story.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Megan Collins book and it definitely won’t be my last.

This book was a breath of fresh air in terms of thrillers. The plot line was something I’ve never seen before which was definitely nice.

We follow Rosie who received a life saving heart transplant and eventually she reaches out to her donors loved one through an anonymous messaging system and that’s where things all start to spiral.

Every time I believed that I had things figured out or I was on the right track something came along that made me question everything I thought I knew.

If you’re looking for a good quick thriller this is definitely the book for you

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC for an honest review!

This was my second read by Megan Collins, and it definitely won’t be my last! I previously read “The Family Plot” by this author, and I really enjoyed that book too. So moving forward- I plan on reading everything else on the author’s backlist because I really enjoy her writing. Now, did this book have the perfect storyline and characters? Unfortunately no. But was this book highly entertaining? Yes it was!! And that’s why I enjoyed this book so much.

In this story we have Rosie who receives a life-saving heart transplant. Rosie later learns her heart was from local celebrity author, Morgan Thorne’s wife, Daphne. She then begins to message Morgan on the anonymous service DonorConnect, so they can learn more about each other. I mean if she has his wife’s heart, he’ll probably love her heart too?

While messaging each other through DonorConnect, Rosie and Morgan start to learn a lot about each other (and I will admit that I did love reading the emails to and from each other). Rosie may have even started to become a little obsessed with Morgan, wanting to know everything about him and his deceased wife. And that’s when things may have started to get a little crazy in the book. We are introduced to friends of theirs throughout the pages, and some may not be as innocent as they seem… Also, did Morgan’s wife die mysteriously?

I will say that Rosie’s character was a little much at times, but she did grow on me and I will certainly miss her! I will also say that the first half/part of this book seemed better than the second half/part. I felt like it started to go in a different direction than what it started with, and for that I had to drop a star. In the meantime, I recommend this book to all my thriller friends who are interested in learning about heart transplants, broken hearts, foolish hearts, and savage hearts. ❤️‍🩹💔❣️❤️‍🔥

Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for an ARC of this book in which I had the pleasure of reading. Publication date is: January 14, 2025.

I absolutely love all of Megan Collins's books so I was super excited to receive Cross My Heart as an ARC. I was hooked from the very beginning of the story, and every time I thought I knew what was going to happen, I was wrong. This is definitely a 2025 must-read for mystery lovers.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rosie had a heart transplant a year ago and although the donor's identity should be anonymous, she finds out that the donor is the late wife of a famous author, Morgan, that lives nearby. She starts a conversation with him through the donor website and starts to stalk him on social media and a little bit in person too, but when she sees comments that imply Morgan may have been responsible for his wife's death, she starts to wonder if there could be any truth to the rumors. But Rosie went through a bad break up before the heart transplant and can be a bit obsessive in her relationships and she wants to believe Morgan is a good person.

4.5 stars.

This was an interesting premise and I was hooked from the start. Things took a turn at 50%, and what I thought was real, wasn't necessarily real, and things could have gone in one of two directions, which kept me guessing. I really had to think about what I had read and how it all went together. The ending was pretty good. I belive this is my third read from this author and definitely the one I enjoyed the most.