✨ BOOK REVIEW ✨

Cross My Heart by Megan Collins had an intriguing premise, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The story follows Rosie, who gets a heart transplant and becomes convinced she’s meant to be with her donor's widowed husband, Morgan. It’s an interesting idea, and the whole concept of connecting with him through an anonymous service, DonorConnect, added a unique twist.

However, I found it hard to fully buy into Rosie’s obsession with Morgan. The idea that she’s “meant” to be with him just because she has his wife’s heart felt a bit far-fetched. While Rosie’s journey was compelling at times, I didn’t always understand her motivations, and some of the suspense around Morgan’s past felt predictable.

The pacing was a bit slow, especially when Rosie and Morgan’s online conversations seemed to drag on. I also found that the characters, especially Morgan, weren’t as developed as I would have liked. I wanted to understand him more, but he never really felt like a fully realized person. The twists didn’t quite pack the punch I was hoping for, and the story didn’t have the depth I expected.

While I liked the premise, Cross My Heart didn’t deliver the emotional or psychological thrill I was looking for. It was a decent read, but I wasn’t blown away. I’d give it 3 out of 5 stars—interesting enough to keep me reading, but ultimately a little disappointing.

Thank you to Megan Collins, Atria Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is an unhinged story about a woman who is saved through a heart transplant and then becomes obsessed with the widower of the dead woman who gave her this heart. It's wildly entertaining, and I enjoyed flying through this story.

Rosie-colored glasses. Stalkers? Hearts. So good at sending you down one path only to pull the carpet out from under you and send you down a completely different one! I enjoyed the turns, the discovering, the details until the last second. Chapter lengths were perfect. The flow was smooth. The main character was a bit annoying but in the best way - in a way that the story needed. The supporting characters, a beautiful complement. Do I recommend this, yes, I do! Let the mystery unfold!

I loved the premise of the book. A husband dates the woman who has his wife’s heart from a heart transplant. The middle of the book twist was top notch! This is definitely a great book to binge read.

Cross My Heart is an addictive and twisty thriller. This book had me hooked right from the start, the story is gripping, interesting and you just need to know. What stalled me a little was the lengthy chapters, the fact that the book had so much added useless fluff to it which brought the pace of it way down. The story also did become confusing at one point, where I was feeling I was missing parts or not fully comprehending (probably a me problem).

All the characters in this novel are highly unlikable, I didn't like any of them. I couldn't trust any of them. I kept constantly going back and forth. Rosie the FMC is a little too childish and immature for my liking, preventing me from truly caring wjd empathizing with her. The plot ended up being a bit jumbled in the end for me and it just didn't work, the ending left me underwhelmed.

Overall, it was an okay read. Didn't shock me or surprise me, but addicting nonetheless.

🎧 The narration by Gail Shalan& Chris Andrew Ciulla was okay. It wasn't my favorite. Chris was definitely better but he only appeared in a portion of the book. Gail felt a little awkward and the way she voiced men just didn't do it for me. It didn't wow me as a performance.

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @atriabooks & Megan Collins for my gifted ARC & ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Right off the bat I did not like this book. I am sorry, but it just isn't for me. I found the main character off putting and whinny. I never believed the falling for this guy, just because she has his wife's heart.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this book!

This started off promising. I wanted to really like Rosie. But I couldn't and then this book went off into what felt like three different stories that the author tried to merge together unsuccessfully. And what was the point, really, if Morgan? I also figured who was who by the ending. It wasn't surprising at all.

3.5⭐️

This one had me hooked at the beginning! The premise of communication through donor connect was super intriguing and the mid-point twist definitely shocked me. From there, I’m not sure. It’s not that I disliked it? I just feel like more tension could’ve been built with communication between Rosie and Morgan. There was a lot of connection to him and his wife and building the whole distrust in the story for there to be a massive shift. It wasn’t bad, I enjoyed myself, just didn’t blow me away!

Rosie has a new heart, but that hasn’t stopped her from dreaming of finding someone to steal it all over again. A year after a devastating breakup, she’s not only survived a heart transplant but is also helping out at her parents’ bridal shop—still holding on to the hope of true love. When she begins corresponding anonymously through DonorConnect, she starts to suspect that her donor heart once belonged to the late wife of famous author Morgan Thorne. As she digs deeper into Morgan’s life and his marriage to Daphne, unsettling questions arise. The more she learns, the more she wonders: Could Morgan have had a hand in his wife’s death? And can she trust him?

This is one of those wildly implausible yet utterly addictive books you can’t put down. Told through multiple perspectives—including Rosie and Morgan’s viewpoints, their DonorConnect messages, and Morgan’s emails to his best friend—the story unfolds with layers of mystery and intrigue. But no one here is entirely innocent. Rosie crosses some questionable lines, obsessively researching Morgan and even making a habit of walking her dog past his house. Meanwhile, Morgan charms through witty, poetic chats that might not be entirely his own words.

Rosie is sweet but incredibly naïve, making some exasperating decisions that will have readers wanting to shake some sense into her. Luckily, she has a fiercely protective best friend, Nina, and a budding friendship with Edith, a fellow dumped bride.

The book is packed with twists—some unpredictable, others fairly easy to spot. While one major reveal didn’t sit well with me personally, most readers seem to love this story. It delivers solid themes of friendship and self-acceptance, though it doesn’t quite reach the level of a truly unforgettable thriller (it’s no YOU, let’s be honest). Still, if you’re looking for a fast-paced, entertaining read, this one will keep you turning the pages.

Oh my gosh I loved this book so much! It was everything I didn’t know I needed: obsession, stalker, heart transplant, murder and more. I flew through this one and now want to read more and more from this author. Thanks so much for the gifted arc!

WOWZA! Megan Collins continues to amaze in her latest psychological thriller, CROSS MY HEART.

Rosie Lachlan’s heart was broken (literally) when she was basically left at the altar but got a second chance at life when she received a heart transplant. Through Donor Connect, an anonymous service that allows recipient and donor families to connect, she is convinced that the heart beating in her chest is that of Daphne Thorne, wife of celebrity author Morgan Thorne. As they share their stories, we come to know quite a bit about each of them. Rosie wants to give her new heart back to Morgan and sets up a ‘meet cute’ with Morgan even while maintaining her anonymity online. As she learns more about Daphne and Morgan, she begins to question just how Morgan gets his ideas for his novels. Was the story Morgan told about Daphne‘s ‘accident’ true? As she continues to investigate, she is warned off by people in Daphne‘s life. And what of Morgan’s best friend, Blair, and her influences in his life?

This one had me hooked from beginning to end. Clear your calendar before you sit down with this one because the twist and turns will keep you guessing throughout; one twist will lead you in one direction, but the next turn leaves you guessing all over again. My head was spinning by the end of the book. I have enjoyed novels of Megan Collins in the past, and this one was no different. Her writing is clear and concise which leads to an enjoyable read and the reveals are sprinkled throughout and kept me on the edge of my seat. You will not be disappointed with this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

What a wild premise - falling in love with the widow of your heart donor?! Crazy. This book took me for a ride, which was really refreshing.

Rosie has had more than her fair share of heartbreak and now her heart has literally broken and she needs a transplant. Thankfully, one becomes available and she gets a new heart.
Then, a year later she begins to communicate with the family of the donor through a door chat, and she believes that the man she’s talking to is a famous writer, Morgan, who lives in her town. As Rosie tries to confirm her suspicions, it starts to become apparent that Morgan’s wife who was Rosie’s donor, may have died under suspicious circumstances.
Soon Morgan and Rosie’s worlds collide and the reader is left to figure out how they are connected and who else might be involved.
There are loads of Taylor Swift references, and despite not being a Swiftie myself, it was kinda fun to see them pop up at random points-especially with the dig at John Mayer. There’s lots of little nuggets to be found which added to my enjoyment of the story.
That being said, we get to a part where Rosie references herself as having “Rosie colored glasses” a few too many times and it started to grate on me. She was written as delusional and illogical but it comes across as over the top at times.
This was a pretty entertaining story about love and murder and worth the ride.
Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Everyone has been eating this one up, and for good reason. It’s a quick-paced thrill ride and I think will be mostly a hit with Colleen Hoover fans, as well as Swifties, since there are plenty of Easter eggs, which was very much on purpose, based on the People Magazine author interview I read.

There’s even an official playlist for the book. I’m very much into authors sharing their accompanying playlists for their novels; it makes the reading experience all the more fun.

While not marketed as a new adult, the immaturity of the MC, Rosie, made it feel that way. She is obsessing over the man whose wife donated her heart. They begin emailing back and forth through the donor communication server in a way that goes beyond gratitude.

Lack of tact aside, Rosie’s relentless pursuit of what could be with a man she’s never talked to in person gives off (digital) stalker vibes, which, I guess, who among us hasn’t gone down a rabbit hole to see what an ex/crush/nemesis is up to these days.

There are plenty of twists and turns, and some shifty side characters, though I would label this one more of a dysfunctional romance than an all-out thriller.

Such a fast paced, heart pounding (LOL) read. I loved the twists and turns! I wouldn't say this book comes with significant depth but it was an awesome cleanser read. I would put it in the popcorn thriller category.

I really like the way Megan Collins writes. The words connect differently somehow. There were so many twists here I was not expecting and it was a unique story and was along for the ride.

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4 ½✨⭐️
CROSS MY HEART
🤍𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: thriller
📖 320 pages
𝗘𝗺𝗼𝗷𝗶𝘀:🫀👀📧✍🏼👰🏼‍♀️🔪🤯🚔☕️💊🔫😮

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
◽️ dual POV
◽️ twist after twist
◽️ obsession & stalking
◽️ VERITY (some parts reminded me)
◽️ Taylor Swift & Gilmore Girls references

💜𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲💜

𝘚𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘐 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴.

Thank you @simonaudio @atriabooks for the #gifted copy!

CROSS MY HEART was a gripping, fast paced thriller that absolutely lives up to the buzz! I tore through it in just 2 days, completely engrossed in the twists & turns. The suspense built so seamlessly that before I knew it, I had reached the shocking finale 😮

Told from dual POV with unreliable narrators, the story follows Rosie, who recently received a heart transplant & becomes entangled with the husband of the donor. What unfolds is a tangled web of obsession, deceit, & paranoia that kept me guessing until the very last page. I had no idea who to believe, & the tension never let up. That ending caught me completely off guard! A must read, bravo 👏🏼 @megancollinswriter

𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁: Rosie Lachlan is searching for true love after being left at the altar. Following a life saving heart transplant, she suspects her donor was Daphne Thorne, the wife of famous author Morgan Thorne. Through an anonymous service, she reaches out to Morgan, believing fate has connected them. As their bond deepens, Rosie uncovers unsettling rumors about his past. Now, she must decide if her heart is leading her to love—or danger.

This book was pretty twisty! I had no idea what to expect. I’ll The plot was so fun! Very well thought out idea that I’ve never heard of in another book. Who would come up with a story like this? Only Megan. The characters were fun. My only complaint was how long it was drug out after the killer was revealed. Definitely a 4 star read for me.

This January read was one of my favorite. What started like a pretty mellow thriller took a shocking turn half way through.

Rosie had some literally heartbreaking love disappointments in her life. When she tried to establish a connection with the husband of her heart transplant donor and began falling for him, some alarming facts about the man started coming to light.

There are some great quotes in this book that give insight into Rosie's personality and emotional state. "I fell hard for forever." "Bad love feels safer than no love at all." The book in general is dedicated to those women around us who are often labeled "crazy": unreliable narrators, overly clingy, unpredictable. While reading, I tried to put myself in Rosie's shoes. Her previous experiences surely added to her lack of confidence and the desire to be in more control. I really felt that for her. The ending is dark and worrysome. I am hopeful for Rosie, but I also can't help but think, is it even possible for her to change?

This is one of those thrillers you want to re-read immediately after finishing. I thoroughly enjoyed the sharp twists, fast pace and interesting characters. Great psychological thriller!

Unhinged” women, a heart transplant, and murder?!

I have to say the prose and metaphors in this book were excellent. Everything flowed so well and it was an easy read but still had such beautiful and intricate imagery.

I do however think the pacing of the story itself and the plot was a bit all over the place.

I felt very disconnected from our characters and the suspenseful moments didn’t effect or worry me very much. Also every single person in this book needs therapy.

Thank you to the publisher for the arc through NetGalley! All opinions are my own honest opinions.