Thank you for approving me for this title. After some thought, I’ve realized it’s not quite the right fit for me personally, so I won’t be able to provide a full review. I appreciate the opportunity to access it and wish the book great success.

*The Heart of the Deal* had its moments, especially with the chemistry between the main characters. The mix of romance and business added an interesting layer, but I found some parts a bit predictable and the pacing slow at times. While the story had potential, I struggled to fully connect with the characters, and some of the plot felt a bit forced.

The novel blends themes of ambition, vulnerability, and self-discovery in a modern, fast-paced setting.

This book frustrated me so much and took me ages to end

On paper it sounded like a fun, interesting read with good reflections. In reality we had an annoying character, her annoyance was focused on the fact that she fell for a man and wanted him to become the kind of man she envisioned to have her happily ever after because she feels her clock is ticking to get married and have babies, therefore she wastes years of her life in a man who isn't ready and very clearly doesn't want to commit to her. And everyone around her knew. Everyone told her.

*The Heart of the Deal* by Lindsay MacMillan is a sharp, thoughtful take on love and ambition. Rae’s high-powered life gets turned upside down when her relationship with Dustin, who’s struggling with depression, forces her to rethink everything. It’s not your typical romance—it’s raw, real, and full of heart. A fresh, emotional read that digs deep into modern relationships and self-discovery.

This book was an enjoyable read, though it didn’t quite blow me away. The Heart of the Deal offers an interesting take on navigating the pressures of love and career in your late twenties, but it didn’t fully capture me the way I hoped. Rae, a Wall Street banker, is single in New York City and feeling the weight of societal expectations—both in romance and in her career. Her story of trying to find a husband before turning 30, combined with her struggle to balance dating and work, felt very relatable at times.

The dynamic with Rae’s friends, sharing ice cream and cheap wine while navigating the dating world, added a nice touch of humor and support, but it was Dustin, a poetic soul she meets along the way, who really brought depth to the story. His struggles with depression give the plot an emotional weight, but their relationship didn't always feel fully fleshed out, especially when the focus often shifted between the romantic and the career-driven aspects of Rae's life.

While the story touches on some important themes like mental health, female friendships, and rethinking success, the pacing felt a bit uneven, and I didn’t always connect deeply with the characters or their journey. It was a solid 5/10 for me—an okay read, but not one that left a lasting impression. If you enjoy books about personal growth, relationships, and navigating the pressure to have it all, this one might still resonate, but it didn’t hit the emotional highs I was hoping for.

LOVED this book for the epic romantic love just as much as for the platonic bonds that were made! What a beautiful story of life and its heartbreak.

This was a great story of growth, characters learning from one another, and choosing yourself to learn as you grow up!

Featured:
• Women in leadership
• Depression
• Self-harm
• New York City
• Poetry
• Characters in their mid-to-late twenties

This book was just okay. I struggled to get into it and never felt compelled to finish. It lacked depth, and the character development felt shallow.

What bothered me:
• Rae repeatedly suggested Dustin’s depression would eventually go away, which felt unrealistic. I wanted to see her grow and understand that depression is a lifelong battle with ups and downs.
• I couldn’t connect with the characters—they felt surface-level, and some seemed irrelevant. The Scrambelette idea was cool, but Sarah and Mira added nothing to the story.
• The plot was cliché: an aspiring writer in the city searching for love and self-discovery. Nothing stood out.

Very well written with great character development. Contemporary romance not fluff. Realistic portrayal of dating and trying to figure out life.

This book felt very raw and I connected to it on a lot of ways. I felt that it touched on self - love which has been an uphill battle for a lot of people. The sensitivity and full picture of how it was discussed felt very important.

Thanks NetGalley for the preview!

Oof Rae was such a struggle for me. She was the classic girl that does everything that’s toxic or bad for herself. And she was awful to Stu. I really didn’t like her. Dustin clearly needed some intense therapy and help and it was never really given to him. The ending made me so angry.

Great book for who likes romance, dating & relationships and working in NYC! I would recommend this book, of course!

Oh wow, this book started off so relatable for me! Rae is a mid-twenties living in New York and realizes that time is running out to meet the one and start a family. Rae and her friends decide to create a dating profile for her and set some rules. No guys holding dead fish, no guys making peace signs in their photos, backwards ball caps, holding a beer can, etc etc. Rae’s best friend Ellen takes on the job as Rae’s dating app mentor very seriously.

Rae turns out to be extremely stubborn and naive to the point where she was getting a bit annoying. The story seemed like it was skipping weeks or months at a time and so many details were lost.

The ending definitely took a quick turn. I was excited that Rae decided to do things for herself.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Rae made a good life for herself and had amazing friends to lean on which is super important in your late 20’s.

Please check trigger warnings before reading this book!

While I found the premise promising and definitely enjoyed a lot of the story, the chronic toxicity between the main couple and the way the book ended has definitely dragged down my rating.

It was a good book and really enjoyed it all and rooted for this couple to make it. Love it all. read it today you will not be disappointed.

This one didn’t work for me, unfortunately. I think I went in with the wrong expectations and expected it to be a romcom, which it definitely is not!! The writing style also wasn’t completely to my taste,

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this book more than I did. I liked the concept and the idea of not having to have everything sorted by 30. However the depression storyline didn't sit well with me. I hated the comments regarding "fixing him" or "when he gets better" it felt like she was talking about getting over a common cold. But maybe that was just me.

I enjoyed this read, it’s the reason I got into romance books. Before I thought I would never pick one up, and then I read the description of the heart of the deal and just had to read it. I wouldn’t say it’s my favourite but it’s definitely high on my list of liked books, and I would definitely read it again.