The Heart Between Us is an engaging and adventurous tale! One of my favorite things about this story is that the main character, Megan, is not naturally a strong, independent woman. Megan's stronger than she thinks, but she has some growth that needs to take place. She learns just how strong she is and all that she's capable of. This is a very well written story that deals with organ donation, long-term illness, difficulties with parents and siblings, travel and adventure, and (my personal favorite) falling in love.

The Heart Between Us is a truly unique, one of a kind story. It's engaging and will be keep you drawn in until the very last page. I truly enjoyed it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Heart Between Us was a beautiful story. It was my first read by Lindsay Harrel, but it definitely won't be my last. This story, in my opinion, is a perfect example of contemporary fiction done well. There's romance, but there is so much more to the plot. In fact, the romance is secondary to the sister's (Megan and Crystal) journey...and what a journey it was!


It took me a couple chapters to get hooked by the story but after that I was flipping pages quickly and couldn't wait to see what happened next. I think one of the biggest reasons why I loved The Heart Between Us so much is because the characters were very likable and the plot was believable. I also found the whole idea of a heart transplant recipient trying to fulfill her donor's unfulfilled bucket list to be an amazing storyline.


All in all, The Heart Between Us was a phenomenal read and one I highly recommend.


*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Thirty-two year old Megan Jacobs has spent most of her life wrapped in proverbial cotton wool, the result of a diagnosis of hypertropic cardiomyopathy. She spend much of her teenage years in hospital, watching National Geographic and the Travel Channel and daydreaming of a life travelling the world as a freelance journalist with her best friend and fellow heart patient, Caleb.

She received her heart transplant a year ago, but never followed her dreams despite Caleb—a successful freelance photographer—offering her an opportunity in London. Instead, she’s still stuck in her same old job and same old routines.

That changes following a meeting with her donor family.
Eighteen-year-old Amanda had everything to live for, as shown in her diary. It contains her 25-point bucket list, a list which inspires Megan to chase Amanda’s dreams even if she doesn’t have the courage to face her own.

Crystal is Megan’s identical twin. Except she’s always been healthy, and is now married to Brian, a firefighter, and working in her dream job as an up-and-coming architect in New York. She’s in line for a promotion, but her marriage is suffering, and her relationship with her twin is non-existent. So they’re off to visit five continents in five weeks, and hopefully rediscover their relationship, and themselves.

The Heart Between Us is excellent, both as armchair travel and as a novel that examines twin sisters, their ambitions, dreams, and relationships, and the way we sometimes make dumb choices because they are the safe choices,and how life doesn’t always work out as planned.

The writing was excellent, and I especially liked the way there were no easy answers. Both Megan and Crystal had to work through their problems, and both had to learn to turn to God. A great novel about the power of choices. Recommended.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A definite feel good read with some interesting characters. Megan and Crystal are twin sisters. Megan was born with a bad heart which resulted in her having a heart transplant in her twenties. She is a fearful young woman but when the opportunity presents itself for her to live out the bucket list of her donor she goes for it. Her sister Crystal on the other hand is a driven architect whose marriage is suffering from her dedication to her job. Crystal accompanies Megan on her bucket list tour and both learn some good lessons along the way.

This book was amazing! I loved the message of the book and how Megan grows over the course of the story. The bucket list of her heart donor was sad, and yet I loved the story.

4.5 stars

“God wants nothing more than to restore us…”

I expected this to be an inspiring story with lots of feels and travel adventures I could vicariously live through. And it is. But the concept of heart – and all it means for the different players – and the healing that is painted on these pages far exceeded my expectations.

I absolutely love Megan. She is such a layered character with a sweet personality and more courage than she gives herself credit for. After being sick for so long, she is finally able to live a full life but fear has been holding her back. As she connects with her donor’s family and gets to know her donor via the journal Amanda left behind, she is inspired to complete the teenager’s unfulfilled bucket list. Amanda did complete one of the items on the list already, and it’s actually that item that becomes the theme of the book in ways you might not at first expect.

There’s a dash of romance that of course I loved. Really loved. I swooned. And sighed blissfully. BUT at the same time it doesn’t overwhelm the plot. And there’s another love story going on that I didn’t expect – and one that hit me right in the feels. Again, I don’t want to give a lot of the plot away because part of the beauty of the novel is joining these two sisters on their journey and taking each step with them. As a side note, can I just say that I love Crystal’s story and I’m so glad the author gave her a voice too. Though Megan remains my favorite! And Caleb… there I go swooning again!

Bottom Line: The Heart Between Us is part travel adventure, part hit-you-in-the-feels women’s fiction, part exploration of sisterhood and part romance. But it’s ALL excellently done. I knew I would enjoy this one; I just didn’t realize I would enjoy it so much. Megan’s story intertwines with her twin sister Crystal’s, her donor Amanda’s, and her best friend Caleb’s as she travels across the globe on a mission to finish a bucket list and find her own footing. Her multi-country, multi-cultural adventures are fun to experience vicariously and they serve well to move the story forward without bogging it down. Overall, the faith message is subtle but woven in so sweetly, and I wouldn’t change a bit of it.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

This is a story about family, love, second chances and faith. If this is not your forte then please keep on moving, unless you're in for something new. The story follows the journey of two sisters, Megan and Crystal, as they travel around the world from Rome to Peru and Australia and more searching for answers to their own problems and bonding at the same time as well.

With the story being told between the alternative point of views of the sisters a lot was taking place The slowness of the book did sometimes discourage me to continue reading but the well-developed plot and characters helped me push through.

The cultures of the countries and cities the sisters visited were correctly represented compared to certain books *clears throat.* Anyways this is a fantastic story to read to renew one's faith and just put a smile on your lips.

Megan Jacobs spent her life being careful, being in the hospital, and watching her sister, Crystal, live life to the fullest, while Megan dreamed about the future, what she would do when she was no longer sick. Three years ago, Megan got a heart transplant, but she’s still playing it safe, living with her parents and working at the library while she yearns for more.

Then, Megan’s heart donor’s parents give her their daughter’s journal, and Megan finds someone she identifies with in the pages. She also finds an unfinished bucket list and decides to fulfill all the items on the list, pushing past her comfort zone as she fights her tendency to play it safe.

When Crystal decides to come with her, Megan hopes they can repair their fragile relationship. With Crystal at her side and her old friend Caleb—a fellow heart transplant recipient—encouraging her, Megan thinks she has all the support she needs to complete her audacious journey. But will she be able to overcome her fears and embrace her new heart?

I related to Megan so much. Her fear of change and of new things is so familiar, as is her desire to travel and to write. So familiar. She’s been through so much, and it’s easier to coast along with the status quo, than to risk failure. Even when Megan has stepped out in faith, she still falters, but the love of those around her propels her forward. This is Crystal’s story, too, the “perfect” sister who is driven by her ambitions even while her marriage is failing. Stepping out in faith and changing is just as hard for Crystal as it is for her sister, but the two don’t even realize they have this in common. I loved this book and highly recommend it!

(Galley provided by Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.)

“But one thing I’ve realized in my years of therapy? If-onlys don’t exist. And I kind of think that’s the perspective I need to embrace if I’m ever going to really live.”

What an amazing story!!! This book has all the components to make it an incredible contemporary women’s fiction/romance novel. The author combines lyrical, fluid writing with a fantastic and fast-moving plot; memorable and ever-so-real characters; heart-wrenching raw emotions; head-on look at some tough issues like depression, psychological ramifications of being medically sick, and sexual abuse; beautiful soul-stirring descriptions of ancient cities in Europe and Africa; and engaging and revealing dialogue amongst the characters. Everyone should read this book!

The story focuses on Megan, who is a heart transplant recipient. Though she had the surgery three years ago, she still lives in fear and hides behind that fear, letting it shadow her joy, hope, and radiance. Despite her lack of confidence in who she is, Megan is sweet and gentle and just wants to be loved. Then there is Caleb, Megan’s friend who also received a heart a few years prior to Megan. He’s dashing, daring, yet so so sweet and tender and firmly grounded in who he is. Their friendship is achingly beautiful and sweet.
Megan’s twin sister Crystal is the opposite of Megan - brash, assertive, type A - who runs from her emotions and difficulties of life. Yet she, too, is fearful and fears losing control. Her husband of five years is understanding, loving, and sweet. His acts of service and love for Crystal are heartfelt and special.
These two couples and their journey, individually and together, had me tearing up at every chapter. The sisters’ nostalgic memories made me choke up, the honest and difficult conversations between the couples and between the sisters had me bawling at times. Whew!

The ending of the book had me begging for more of their story. Will there be a follow up? Please?!?!

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a favorable review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

Megan Jacobs has a bad heart. Literally. In and out of hospitals and treatments, she spends her children dreaming of accomplishing all kinds of things. If only she were healthy and active like her twin sister Crystal! Years later, Megan has a heart transplant, and things will be different! Except they’re not. She’s still in her hometown, working as an assistant librarian, while her sister is living it up as an architect in the city. But when she reads her heart donor’s journal, she makes a big decision — she will fulfill her donor’s bucket list. She’ll do all the things and visit all the places that the teen had wanted to visit. Also, Megan will have the courage to pursue the man she’s liked for as long as she remembers.

“Megan loved all the seasons but felt a special connection with winter. Maybe that was because she understood it best — the snow covering the ground, burying it, waiting for something to happen. To grow.”

Keep a box of Kleenex near you — you will need it. The Heart Between Us is a beautiful and touching read. The characters have so much heart, and I love the things on Megan’s bucket list (which included Paris). I also love the close relationship between Megan and Crystal. Even though Crystal has always had an edge over Megan, their love for one another comes out of the pages, even through the difficult moments. I give this book five delicious Café Crème. Lindsay Harrel is a great author and I look forward to reading more from her.

4.5 stars - TOP PICK!

I reviewed this book for RT Bookreviews magazine, and you can read my review on their site at the following site: https://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-review/heart-between-us

Oh my my my. What a beautiful, touching book. I am touched and changed by the beautiful messages in this story.

The Heart Between Us made my heart swell. (Cheesy but true.) These twin sisters, Megan and Crystal, are so distinctive and have differing struggles, yet the health of one affects the entire family.

It was easy to sympathize with Megan (my favorite of the sisters.) I liked Crystal, but it took a bit longer for her to allow me beneath the wall she’d built. And then there is Amanda—who we get to learn about through her journals.

There is so much heart in this story. The writing is superb! Lindsay Harrel is a new-to-me-author, and I plan to read more of her work. I enjoyed the traveling, the romance is light and sweet, and the various emotions evoked from me are too many to count. There were no lulling moments, and I turned the pages faster than I wanted to—especially near the end—because I didn’t want the story to end.

I love women’s fiction as well as Christian fiction, and this story melds them both nicely. The main messages I took from this story is there is value to every moment in life, and broken relationships are meant to be mended. Highly recommended—and have some tissues.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookLook and NetGalley.

The Heart Between Us is my first Lindsay Harrel book and honestly, I really enjoyed the idea of the book. This book is a contemporary book that has elements of Christian faith and it teases the hearts of those with a wanderlust soul.
I really appreciated that this book touches the different aspects of love, family, sacrifices and the abundant generosity of strangers in the most unlikely way.

I loved the journey of these two sisters and their quest in rebuilding the bridge of sisterhood and also simultaneously finding ones individual identity.

Having said that, The Heart Between Us is simple but at times I felt myself skimming through it. To be fair, I was expecting a powerful book but in some areas I found things to be quite childish and juvenile.

All in all, The Heart Between Us is a lovely book filled with the story of courage, conquering ones greatest fear and a whole load of adventure.

Do you want to see the world without leaving the comforts of home? If so this book is for you! Throw in two estranged sisters finding peace and some romance with two hunky men, could it get any better?











Megan and Crystal once were really close but Megan’s heart condition and years of sickness have affected them each differently and ended up tearing them apart. Megan has a received a heart transplant but still feels stuck in her life. After meeting her heart donor’s parents she makes the decision to complete her donor’s bucket list. This starts her journey of self discovery, learning to overcome her fears. Crystal is also feeling stuck, with encouragement from her husband she decides to join Megan on her travel adventure. This starts out awkward as the two sisters haven’t spoken much since their falling out years ago but their adventure forces both to face their fears and tackle feelings that are holding them back from true fulfillment. This adventure helps them rediscover their faith, restore their relationship and find true happiness. Their journey of discovery may start oversees but continues once they return home.



I connected with both sisters in different ways and even though we don’t get inside the guys heads I loved them. Caleb truly understood Megan in a way that few could and I loved the way he encouraged and forced Megan to confront her fears. I could feel Crystal’s husband’s pain at times, it took courage on his part to do the things he did to try to help Crystal. The two last scenes between each sister and their romantic interest had my heart swelling, I absolutely loved the end.



This story touched me in ways that I never imagined. It has made me think about what motivates me and what may be holding me back from doing certain things. I am still thinking about it days after finishing. In addition all the travel and sights mentioned ignited my desire to travel more (not that I needed much help 😉 ).

Finally, Megan Jacobs has a semblance of normal life. After years spent in and out of the hospital, she was able to get a heart transplant from a donor who will have a more profound impact on her life than she anticipated. When her donor's parents give her Amanda's journal complete with a bucket list, Megan decides to embark on a journey around the world to not only to strike the items off but also hopefully find herself.

Crystal Ballinger, Megan's twin is also battling for a semblance of a normal life. She has been recognised as a leading upcoming architect in New York but she is yet to know what that will truly cost her. When her mum tells her of Megan's upcoming travel plans she battles with whether she will be able to forfeit a lifelong dream job opportunity in order to make amends with her estranged sister.

By fulfilling this item on Amanda's bucket list, Megan and Crystal are forced to confront their inner fears that they have been putting off including their estranged relationship which stemmed from Megan's hospitalisation over their childhood years. This book is about growing up and self -discovery especially as a person in their late twenties and early thirties when everyone expects you to be "settled" and yet you still want more out of life.

Lyndsay Harrel uses Amanda's journal entries as the perfect segues to various destinations which avoid bogging down the readers with travel details like airport layovers. It also provided an additional layer of authenticity to the plot and enables more connection with the readers.

With summer just around the corner in the northern hemisphere, this book will definitely get readers dreaming of places that they have always dreamt about and probably prompt them to take a break to somewhere a bit of exotic or at least try something outside of their comfort zone. If you are looking for a palate cleanser after reading a series of historical fiction then this might be the book for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Heart Between Us by Lindsay Harrel is a heartwarming ( oh, no pun intended) story of recovery nd second chances. I really enjoyed seeing the characters develop into multidimensional personalities as hbook progressed. There was a nice touch of romance, but the relationship between the sisters was such a strong draw. I was really cheering for them to get over their misunderstandings. That’s what we all really look for in a book, isn’t it? one where we care what happens to the characters.

This little story encompasses relationships, travel, romance, and a poignant story of siblings as they embark on a life-changing journey. I don't think I've EVER been to so many countries and continents vicariously through just 1 story. 🗼

I like surprises. The Heart Between Us surprised me in the best way! I expected a cute, fun story about Megan, maybe even a journey of self discovery, with emotional moments, of course. I did NOT expect all that and more as the viewpoints of BOTH Megan and Crystal switch off and tell a poignant story of sister-friendship, healing, and bravery all against a backdrop of continent-hopping and adventure.

The heart-journey of these sisters, both literal and figurative, explores the dynamics of relationships and the honesty required in true connections. This process also shows the beauty of letting go of fears and trusting that God's control is constant, even amid misunderstandings and the sometimes-unfairness of circumstance.

I would be remiss not to mention the sweet romance born of friendship that Megan and Caleb share. It was perfectly timed in Megan's life. I just loved the way Caleb was always a gentleman and so encouraging to Megan.

Thank you to the publisher and author for the review copy. This is my honest review.

True story of a doctor who has a devastating stroke while on a flight, told from the point of view of his wife. She tried to recreate his memories by taking notes during the time he was unconscious up through the year of his recovery.

A nice story, but some parts were mentioned a few times that only needed to be mentioned once. Could have been a lot shorter, but thanks NetGalley for an advance copy in return for ah honest review.

A unique look at completing a bucket list and the rewards it can bring you. Very realistic picture of the lives of sisters. Will bring hope to all who read this book.