ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press

---3.5 stars, leaning 3 stars
I liked this book.
I liked the overall premise, and thought the concept of it was interesting.
I enjoyed the characters, and though the novel was about a sad topic (probable suicide, potentially terminal illness), it wasn't a sad book. It was a hopeful book about falling in love (and solving a mystery).

With that said, I found myself wanting a bit more.
More what? I'm not exactly sure. But something.
I think everything just wrapped up a bit too neatly? There was no ultimate conflict, there was no ultimate finale. It just ended, and it was okay.

**Side Note: My ARC copy was unfinished, and I'm really hoping the publisher makes it more obvious that the perspective from Matt to Leah is changing, because it was all kind of one big mash up. There were also weird paragraph breaks. I could find that being really frustrating for readers that don't like changed perspective novels, and need an obvious break point to switch gears. There were times it took me a good three to four sentences to figure out who was thinking/talking at that exact moment. So long as that's updated, my review stays at 3 stars.

I have no other words to describe how I feel about this book other than to say I love it! I will be recommending this book to others for a long time. Thank you C.C. Hunter for writing this book based on such a personal experience for you and your family. Thank you NetGalley for making E-ARCs available.

This Heart of Mine follows Leah, a young girl with a new heart, and Matt, a young boy whose twin brother just killed himself, resulting in.. you guessed it- Leah getting his dead brother's heart.

Overall, this book was cute. I think the mystery of Eric's death felt.. off. The book felt so divided. I think that focusing on one aspect (their relationship) or another (the mystery) would have made it more cohesive and readable. By the end, I was a little bored. However, the author's note at the end was heartbreaking, and it answered my question throughout reading; I felt like she perfectly captured this unique perspective (Leah's). Turns out, she has some experience in the transplant department :)

This is a great spin on contemporary ya fiction, where a girl who receives a heart from a suicide victim.... ends up learning more than she anticipated.

3 stars!

This was such a sweet story.

Leah needs a heart transplant and oddly enough her the match comes from Eric, Matt's twin brother who Leah happens to have a crush on. There's a brief scene with Matt and Leah before her transplant and another one with Matt and his brother that was so sweet and well placed in the book.

I liked Eric so much from the little we got to know him, so freaking much that when he died I was heartbroken, he seemed like such a good guy, I really wanted more of him in the book. After Eric's "suicide" Leah gets a new heart and the transition from being the sick bed ridden girl to going out is a lot for her but also, she feels slightly guilty about Eric being the one she got her heart from.

I enjoyed how the story went from this illness to the mystery of Eric's death but after the heart transplant Leah had these sort of visions of Eric's last moments, that ruined it for me. I read a similar book a while back and I had the same issue with the organ in the book transferring memories to another person, maybe this was meant for younger readers? I did enjoy the premise and the characters, just not the whole concept.

I thought this book was an excellent take on a tough topic and I loved every aspect of it. I loved that the book had the element of not only the connection between transplant to transplant patients, but also the connection between twins. It really added something I’ve never seen before. I also loved that there was a mystery added in to the book, it made it so that the heart transplant wasn’t the only focus of the story. I couldn’t imagine the thought of whose heart I was transplanted with. I feel like it would make me extremely uncomfortable especially if I actually new the person, and saw them at school or work etc.

Leah has a great sense of humor, and loves to read. That makes me feel like I would be friends with her in real life. Matt was a great love interest, especially since he was a supposed popular boy. I liked that it changed points of view within each chapter instead of alternating chapters. It gave a good sense of what Matt and Leah were feeling at each time.

Overall this book handled some very serious topics with sensitivity and a great sense of humor. I thought it was though provoking and yet a quick book to read. It was fast paced and everything came together in the end. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary book or mystery/thriller reads.

Books about organ donation fascinate the life out of me - especially the core premise of This Heart of Mine, which leans heavily on the fact that when you get a heart donated into your body, you also get some of the feelings from the person who died. I was trying to explain to a colleague why this fascinates me so much and could barely put it into words, because it's just like mind-blowing but also kind of comforting? I don't even know. This isn't the first time I've read about something like this happening, but this has been the most important time, considering this is the entire reason Leah agrees to help Matt figure out what actually happened to Matt's twin brother Eric. He died, killed himself as the police ruled, but Matt doesn't believe that; he knows Eric wouldn't do something like that, and for the tiny, little bit we saw of Eric I was kind of agreeing with Matt. The Prologue leans heavily toward wanting US to believe Eric killed himself, but I was on Matt's side the whole novel.

What I really liked was that This Heart of Mine was basically two books in one or two plots in one, where you could have had Matt and Leah trying to find out what actually happened to Eric as the main story and then had *another* book of Matt and Leah falling in love and the whole organ donation thing being in both books. It was so fascinating to marry the two, because you started questioning yourself: Were Matt and Leah fooling themselves by thinking they were falling in love? Was it just the investigation? Was Matt just interested in Leah because she had Eric's heart? Was Leah clinging on to that months-ago kiss when she didn't even know which brother she'd kissed? Then on top of that, they're trying to chase down Eric's ex-girlfriend and trying to get the police to re-open the investigation because their shared dreams are pointing Leah and Matt in the direction that something bad happened to Eric, but it wasn't self-inflicted. There's just SO much going on and it was pretty incredible, actually. 

I loved Leah. Not because she shares my name (although that literally gave me a pang of excitement every time anybody said her name, for the ENTIRE book), but because of what a kick-ass person she was. She went through the trauma of losing her own heart, having an artificial heart in a backpack(!!!!!!!!!) to then receiving the heart of the twin brother of the boy she kissed months previously. If that doesn't make your head explode, I don't know what will. But she was so strong, which I know is such a daft thing to say, but she was. I loved how receiving the donated heart somehow opened her up to being this new version of herself that was the same, but ballsier. Unafraid to tell people her feelings, her take down of a teacher in particular made me want to punch the air in satisfaction because he was being a jerk, going for what she wanted, especially since the worry over her heart was always there; the fear of rejection, of having to take her temperature and blood pressure day and night, of worrying about every tiny thing that changes in her body. She had so much to deal with and through it all, she managed to fall in love with a wonderful boy and start an investigation to help possibly right some wrongs, or get the truth out, at least. 

Then there was sweet, sweet Matt. I can barely process losing our dog three years after it happened, never mind losing your father and your twin brother, all in a short space of time. In fact, I still goggle over my grandfathers death at age 8. Matt's dogged pursuit of literally everybody connected to Eric was awe-inspiring. He could have just let it go - he could have spent his whole life believing his brother killed himself, but there was something there inside him that told him Eric wouldn't do that, so I liked that he took risks to try and find some truth, even if that truth WAS that Eric killed himself. I loved the way he cared for his mom, I loved the way he was with Leah. Quite honestly, I loved all of the characters - Leah's parents, Leah's best friend Brandy, Matt's mom. It was one of the those casts where you just loved everyone.

This Heart of Mine was a fantastic read. The writing was brilliant, although I sometimes missed where it switched from Leah's first-person narrative to Matt's third-person narrative, but that was just an arc issue that I suspect will be fixed come the day of publication of the real thing. C.C. Hunter states at the end of the novel that this book was inspired by her husband's battle with his kidneys, and the emotion really does resonate through every page in this book. C.C. Hunter is a fantastic writer and I hope she writes more YA rom-com-thrillers, because I really, really loved this book. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it had me on the edge of my seat and I just wanted Leah to be my best friend. I could not recommend this book enough, This Heart of Mine took my heart and I gladly gave it away.

This Heart of Mine is part romance, part mystery as Leah and Matt try to unravel the truth behind what appears to be Matt's brother's suicide. Though predictable in parts and the ending felt rushed at the close, a reader truly feels the struggles of organ transplant and the difficulties that can come with it, thanks to C. C. Hunter's personal experiences.

This is a fun read with likeable characters and a twisting plot. Reading the synopsis of this book really drew me in - a bit paranormal, romance, a mystery and teens facing life changing situations. What’s not too love. Whilst I personally found the plot a little predictable, in no way did this stop my enjoyment of the book. Which to me makes it a well written story.

Leah is a dying girl. Her heart is dead and she is running on borrowed time. One day she is blessed by the gift of a heart transplant that gives her something she has not had for a long time, hope for a future. The only struggle is that for her to have life, somebody else had to lose theirs. When the history of her gifted heart comes into light, she must face its past, her past and her future to truly move on to live into the future. All the while a romance between her and Matt, a boy whose life is intrinsically entertained with her's, begins to grow and flourish.
I really found this story touching. This Heart of Mine is different from CC's usual work, but it did have a similar theme of confronting death and avenging injustices on the dead that can be found in all of her other works. Leah is a sweet girl. She is a sweet girl in an incredibly terribly hard situation that people actually have to deal with all throughout the world. It really put some of their fears, struggles and experiences into focus and gives the reader a new outlook on life. This serious tone is also mixed in with a sweet and adorable romance that entertains the reader, leaving me recommending the novel. I give This Heart of Mine FOUR AND A HALF STARS OUT OF FIVE!!!

Leah is living her life like she's dying, in need of a heart transplant with a rare blood type. Matt is Leah's crush from high school and they are reacquainted when he comes over to tutor her, he has a twin brother who dies early on in the book. His death is a mystery and Leah and Matt seek out the answers together, building a relationship with each other during that time. The writing is great, their is friendship, romance and mystery, a great combination, I'd definitely recommend!

Leah is a sufferer of the condition myocarditis, so when a transplant becomes available to her she takes the chance.

However, she doesn't expect that the heart she got lucky with was one of a twin's, leading her to Matt whom she knows from school and falls into a tricky love with as he reveals his twin Eric committed suicide, resulting in her new heart becoming available.

But when Leah and Matt both start suffering from dreams about Eric's last night alive they start to uncover what really happened that night suicide or otherwise...

This is a really deep and emotional read throughout from varying points of view. We can tell how everyone has been moved by the tragic events which is true to life when someone really does commit suicide. The way Leah and Matt come together is really natural and I feel shows how sharing grief despite their twist of events can help people move on and accept the unchangeable.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

This book hit every heart string I had plus found a few more. Reminiscent at times of John Greene's "The Fault In Our Stars," it held it's own as a contemporary romance with many mixed feelings. I loved this book and the story line. Of course, I pretty much love anything that C.C. Hunter writes!

Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars

I had just finished the Mortician’s Daughter by C.C. Hunter when I saw This Heart of Mine pop up on Netgalley and despite initially not thinking that I would enjoy it as much as I have her Shadow Falls series and also the new One Foot in the Grave series, I found this heart-warming story truly wonderful.

Our main character is Seventeen-year-old Leah MacKenzie who is being kept alive by an artificial heart after contracting a virus; she is confined to her home until a donor heart is received. Matt is in need of extra credits at school so he agrees to tutor Leah, their connection is instant but she is a little clueless about who he is as he is an identical twin to Eric.

When tragedy strikes, Leah receives the long awaited call to receive a new heart but guilt hits as she knows someone died for her to live and that person is Matt’s brother Eric. Eric was an organ donor so his brave decision provided her with life.

Eric apparently commit suicide, something Matt vehemently denies; after the transplant both he and Leah are again bought together through visions / dreams they both have of what could have possibly happened so begin to investigate Eric’s relationships and the events which led up to his death.

Leah was such a wonderful character, warm, caring and strong but she had a fear of things going wrong and never looked too far into the future; her relationship with her parents is wonderful despite her mother’s overbearing behaviour but you could see the love that they had for each other. Matt was strong and determined; he had lost so much with the recent passing of both his father and his brother so I could never quite grasp his behaviour and whether he was living in the belief that his twin wouldn’t kill himself or if he was suffering from post-traumatic grief; it was hard to tell and I was eager to find out what had happened. All of the characters were written very well, I especially loved Leah’s heart doctor.

I really enjoyed the romance aspect; I did have my doubts initially, wondering if Matt was drawn to Leah because Eric was their connection through the donor heart but they truly complimented each other well; there were a few tough moments; especially for Leah but they both stood by one another; I just wish she could have been more forthcoming about what she had to endure daily.

C.C. Hunter’s writing is gripping and had me hooked right from the start; I can’t fault the characters or the wonderfully heart-warming and also mysterious storyline; I enjoyed it all. If you haven’t picked up a book by this fabulous author, you are truly missing out!

Thank you kindly to St Martin’s Press via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review This Heart of Mine by C.C. Hunter.

“You’ve got a future, Leah. Plan for it. Figure out who you are and what you want. Then go do it. Do it large. It’s people like you who make a big splash. Don’t be afraid to take a chance. Win or lose. That’s what life is, a bunch of chances.”

An ARC has been kindly given by the St Martin’s Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion

My rating: 4,5 stars

I loved Shadow Falls series its spinoffs. C.C. Hunter became one of these authors I kept recommending for someone looking for YA with great plots, relatable characters and lots of humor. I even pushed the books on my kids and these teenagers fell in love with her stories.

When I spotted This Heart of Mine on Netgalley I requested the ARC and crossed my fingers. The synopsis really called to me. I had not read contemporary CC Hunter and was really intrigued. Would she meet my expectations?
Well I read the book in one sitting. I simply could not put it down.

This story is:
-Compelling.
We want to know first if Leah will get a new heart. Then will she reject it or keep it? More than that you want to know if Eric killed himself or was killed. If he was murdered who is the murderer and why?

-Insightful.
Leah has changed and she wants to discover who the new Leah is. It makes you think about what’s important in life. How do you want to live? Just one moment at a time or do you want to project your dreams and build your future?

-Inspiring.
Leah never complained. She was really admirable as she accepted her fate and tried to spare her beloved ones. Then when she was offered a second or was it a third chance again she tried to protect her family and friends because it’s not so easy! She also put Matt above herself. If she had worries they took a backseat when he was sad or angry or just needed a friend to listen.
-Instructive.
C.C. Hunter knows her topic. In her personal parting note we understand why she mastered all the intricacies of organs transplant. Not only the “mechanical” biological aspects with immune suppressants and risks to catch illnesses. She addressed less known after effects of organ transplants.

-Emotional and heartbreaking (sorry this is an easy one but it’s true).
You would think being granted another chance at life would mean everything. That life is now going to be all rainbows and unicorns. False! Leah had to battle with guilt. She lived because another one has lost his life. How fair is that?
She is better but not out of the woods yet and every time her blood pressure was a little high or …it was stressful. Would she begin rejecting this heart? Would her parents go through this hell again?
“I start counting. One. Two. Three. I get to ten. There’s no effort needed. Tears are falling from my cheeks. I’m fine. Then again, I’m not fine. I’m afraid. I’m afraid of dying. I put a hand over my mouth to keep the cry from escaping. I don’t want to go back. Haven’t I already been there? Forced myself into accepting death. Now is it too much to ask that I can accept living? That I can count on it? Plan for it.”

And now that she is better she is seen by some others like a “freak” or “the girl that was dying”.
“A little voice echoes in my head. Welcome back to high school. It’s the world of cliques, snobby chicks, and an occasional dick.”

Leah was also looking for who she was. What emotions were her own? What does she want in life now that infinite possibilities are offered again?

Grief is one of the main topics. Grief and death.
Leah had to accept her death and that’s not what a seventeen girl should think about.
Matt and his mom had to make peace with the death of Eric when not so long ago they already had been hit by a tragedy.
How do you grieve? How do you accept? Who do you speak to?

-Light and funny sometimes as C.C. Hunter writes wonderful banter.
The humor was part of this story even with this grave topic. It reminds us that humor is the best weapon to go on in life hard times or not.
Cuteness is also C.C Hunter’s trademark. It’s the beginning of young love. When you tiptoe around the other. When you hope and try clumsily to play this dance at first young love. You have the Uber cute quarterback flirting with the beautiful book nerd. Glances are exchanges, hands are held…

“Oh, I . . . I thought you were going to kiss me.” I hear my own words and wonder where I got the balls to say that. His eyes widen. Not in an oh-crap way, but in a surprised kind of way. “Do you want me to kiss you?” I grin. “If you’re Matt, I’ve wanted you to kiss me since seventh grade.”


-Hopeful.
Leah has another chance at life.
“Through the pain and uncertainty of my whole freaking life, a thought hits. I’m going to live. I’m not just going to graduate from high school. I’m going to read way more than one hundred books. I’m going to date boys again. I’m going to experience more toe-curling, blow-my-mind kisses. I can stop accepting and start hoping. It’s allowed now. Suddenly I’m past ready for the healing to be over. I want to start living. I’m tired of dying.”


Needless to say I experienced all the emotional spectrum with this unputdownable novel!

Added bonuses:
-The characters were relatable and loveable. Leah was incredibly strong and inspiring. Matt was the boyfriend you want to read about in a YA novel: handsome, smart, caring, kind, dedicated and loyal.
Leah’s best friend Brandy was also THE BFF you wish for your kids. Always supportive even when she does not share your opinion. Ready to listen every second and be your sidekick if you need someone. Not afraid to have your back against other friends and coming to see you at the hospital even if some aspects freaked her out.

-The pace was just right: not too fast not too slow and the plot had twists secrets and suspense when you needed them.

I even got some supernatural aspect with the special twin connection and Leah’s dreams.
Recommend it? Hell yes!

DNF - very predictable and seemed to follow the non-original YA formula featuring a sick teen and young love. Please advise if you still want me to post a review.

This Heart of Mine tells the story of Leah and Matt. Leah doesn’t have a working heart and Matt’s brother just died – suicide they say. The weirdest thing ever is that Leah gets Matt’s brother's heart and since then she starts to have dreams about a guy running in the woods.
Matt doesn’t believe his brother killed himself, so he and Leah are trying to find out who killed his brother and during their time together, they start to fall for each other.
But will they discover who killed his brother? And is Leah’s body going to reject her new heart?

This Heart of Mine is such a beautiful yet sad book. There were some moments that I was crying and sad, but there were also moments that I couldn’t stop smiling. This Heart of Mine is fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I couldn’t stop reading and I was non-stop thinking about the end. I was hoping for a happy end, but I wasn’t sure if I was going to get one. I love the main characters, Leah and Matt. They’re both so funny and has dealt with a lot of stuff. They also grew towards the end of the book, they weren’t as sad as in the beginning and they’re madly in love with each other.

This Heart of Mine is the perfect read for people who love to read YA and contemporary with a sad twist. I cannot wait to discover more amazing books written by C.C. Hunter!

Usually I choose to go with coming of age YA novels which this definitely was but it also had a mystery part which I found myself getting more into than expected.

Unfortunately, the mystery is sort of just shoved aside once it is solved/finished and it all seemed to happen very quickly/easily so that a bit of drama could be put in at the end.

I did enjoy the book but it was very... mushy and lovey dovey. There is also mention of sex in this book, which I think is great for YA, but it's all a bit perfect. Really, given the subject matter of this book the romantic relationships were all a bit easy and it would have been good to have a bit more awkwardness thrown in to be true to teenaged life.

Unique and engaging. I enjoyed the mystery aspect, and the romance was very sweet.

DNF