This is a sweet story about dealing with grief and falling in love again. Also about forgiveness and friendship and it was a joy to read.

(This is not a Christmas/holiday/winter book like the cover suggests)

Thank you to Atria Books for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I can always count on Lia Louis to make me feel things. In The Key to My Heart, Natalie is living as a shell of herself 2.5 years after the sudden death of her husband. She begrudgingly tags along on nights out with her well meaning friends and can only bring herself indulge in her musical passion by playing at a public piano at a train station.

Natalie’s struggle trying to honor her late husband while also give herself the grace to move forward with her life was so heart wrenching. The way that her grief impacts her relationships with those around her and the unwitting pain she herself causes added such emotion and intricacy to her story.

I was obsessed with all the secondary characters in this book. Natalie has a rich community around her, from an older woman she befriends at her regular coffee shop to a handsome stranger at a bar who she uses to get her friends off her back about getting back in the dating scene. Everyone had such a detailed backstory and distinct characteristics that they came to life and created such a well rounded support system for Natalie.

The flirty banter in this book was next level. It was sexy and funny and creative and it was impossible not to root for the romance to work out.

This was a 5-star read until the ending, which left me wanting. There was a mystery throughout the book and the conclusion of it felt anticlimactic. I still highly recommend this book, but I wanted just a little more to wrap it up.

This book has my heart and soul and you should read it.

Lia's Louis' newest book is such a gem...I have adored her books. They tackle grief and change in such a beautiful way, and the Key to My Heart is no different.

What to say about this book? It's really difficult for me to talk about this because there were things I really loved about this book but also things I despised. Let's start with the things I didn't like, shall we. First of, the main character's inner monologue. It was so exhausting to read. She was just really insecure and overthinking every single possible interaction she could have. It was a real slog to get through. Especially because it halted the actual story WAY too much. This is just something I didn't really like but something I despised were the main character's friends. I mean, she does have some really good and supportive friends but there's also just some terrible friends in here that somehow get a really lamely done redemption arc (as in they just say "sorry" and that's it). These friends spend the entire book being selfish little shits and trying to police how the main character griefs. Blegh. I really hate the fact that they got a redemption AT ALL but the fact that there was barely any effort put in just made my blood boil. So now, things I liked. I really loved the discussion around grief in this book, especially the focus on feeling guilt around moving on. I especially liked how this all was combined with a side character and their experience with grief and how there are similairities and differences between the two. I really loved it. I also thought the romance was really well done. I love how they were friends first and how we got to see them really get to know each other before feelings were ever really talked about. The big moment where they get together also made me cry. It was so beautiful and felt very satisfying as we've seen them go through a lot together already.

If I had to describe Lia Louis's books in one word, it would be "charming." And this one is definitely charming, as well as sweet, cute, and deeper than the cover/romance marketing would make you expect (also a hallmark of her books). The only real complaint I have, and the reason for the 3 stars, is that I found it too predictable. I'm not usually the person calling the plot twists before they happen, but there were just some really obvious setups that took away from an otherwise unique premise.

4-4.5 stars

It took me an embarrassingly long time to finish this book because the winter storm and Christmas and just a whole lot of other stressors and time consumers that happened all at once and it was just a tad bit slow to start so I wasn't making reading it a priority. But. Once I sat down and truly gave it the attention a Lia Louis book deserves I really, really enjoyed it.

Grief, forgiveness and the power of friendship and family shine in this one and it most certainly tugs on the heart strings more than once. My heart broke for Natalie as she muddles along trying to find purpose in life again after the death of her husband. I enjoyed the witty banter, especially between Tom and Natalie and Natalie and Joe. I loved the "spark" moments and the moments of hopefulness. The ending was a bit plain but happy nonetheless. Really enjoy this author!

This was my first Lia Louis book and I really enjoyed her storytelling. This isn't a light Christmas read, but instead focuses on Natalie as she continues to mourn the loss of her husband after a terrible accident. This book is filled with heartache and grief, yet also manages to be sentimental and hopeful. The grand gesture at the end of the book is one I will never forget!

After the sudden loss of her husband, Russ, two years ago, Natalie is still struggling to find herself and figure out the meaning of life beyond a loss so deep. Until she finds mysterious music laid out for her, songs that connected her to her past and to Russ.

This was a sweet story, with more depth than I anticipated going in. I thought it would be a light hearted holiday story, and appreciated the uniqueness of the plot line to bring me into something a little different. It really also showed a depth of Lia Louis that was impressive, as talking about this topic and making it feel real takes a great deal of heart put into the writing and that definitely shone through.

I guess one part that was a little confusing is the timing of the release along with the cover led me to believe that there would be more of a holiday connection than there is. In reality, this is a book that can be read and fit for any time of the year as I would not classify it as a holiday read. I'm not sure if it was this, or what else it might have been, but I did find it slow and hard to continue to engage. While I was intrigued in the story and interested to see how it goes, I did not find myself particularly connected to the characters nor particularly excited to keep reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. This one is out now!

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022, I adored Lia Louis’ Eight Perfect Hours. Natalie Fincher had it all, married to the love her her life, a quaint cottage they were excited to fix up and grow old in and excited by her work on a musical she had written with her best friend. She had it all … that is until one faithful day everything changed. Her husband Russ passed away after being involved in an accident and suddenly she was facing life alone.

Her friends have been letting her go through the motions but 2.5 years later it is obvious they think it is time to move on, to start living again. Natalie wants to, of course she does but how does she make everyone understand she doesn’t want a fresh start, she was perfectly happy where she was but there is no going back. She starts playing on the public piano at St. Pancras, music has always been her safe place. Then one day she finds a piece of music left behind, or possibly left just for her … it is her husbands favourite, one she used to play for him in the hospital after the accident … before he was gone.

This book really tugs at the heartstrings, it is a story of grief, healing, self-discovery but also of hope and finding love after loss. It is beautifully written, it ebbs and flows and we really get to know Natalie and her grief … her love for the husband she has lost. It is obvious Russ has left behind a gaping void, one which will not easily be healed. She feels guilty, guilty that she is still here and Russ isn’t. Guilt because the things they had dreamed of doing together no longer spark much interest because she never wanted to live this life they planned alone.

By coincidence she finds out about a music therapy group and it turns out this is the beginning of her healing process. Music having always played an important part in her life slowly opens her up and helps her realize you can love someone deeply and forever but also allow yourself to move on.

This book made broke my heart, put it back together and and sealed it with a kiss. I went into this book thinking it was a finding love after loss romance – and it was but I realize I like Natalies friends was in the “time to get on with it” mindset. I didn’t grasp how important working through the grief was to the character, reading how she worked through it, founds ways to help her heal her broken heart was the only way for her to truly be able to open herself up to love again. I loved how kind and patient he was with her, he understood she needed to go through the motions for them to have a chance of love and with so many books before I wish there was another to check in on them again.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lia Louis and Atria Books for my free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first novel but this author, but it will most definitely not be the last. I found this so so adorable and so honest about loss. I was rooting for this lovely woman to find out what she really wanted in her life and k enjoyed every page of her story.

My second Lia Louis book, and I read it on the recommendation of another blogger who raved about it.

I read Emmie Blue and loved it; this book was just as good.
An emotional read with a little bit of suspense thrown in.

Who is leaving sheet music that ties Natalie to her deceased husband?
She's not necessarily ready to move on, especially since the reminders from the sheet music bind her to her husband...but 2 men capture her eye, a friendship that could lead to something else.

I suggest to anyone who enjoyed Emmie Blue to read this also, as Lia Louis writes beautifully and gets me every time with her books.

I didn't love this one as much as I loved Eight Perfect Hours but still enjoyed this journey of learning to live again after loss. Loved watching Natalie find hope and joy and, ultimately, love again. I loved the development Lia placed on the more peripheral characters like those in the coffee shop. I want to find my own Tommy Buttons one day!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced readers copy of this book. I was thrilled to read another book by the author of Dear Emmie Blue which I adored. The Key to My Heart was slower paced and also touched a lot on the theme of grief. It reminded me a lot of P.S I Love You which I also loved. While heartbreaking and emotionally tough, it was a story about finding yourself (and love) again. The slow pace and the focus on grief was a lot. However, I loved the epilogue and the ending.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first Lia Louis book and I really enjoyed her storytelling. This isn't a light Christmas read, but instead focuses on Natalie as she continues to mourn the loss of her husband after a terrible accident. This book is filled with heartache and grief, yet also manages to be sentimental and hopeful. The grand gesture at the end of the book is one I will never forget!

This book was so cute and so sweet! I loved Natalie and Tom and Shauna and the whole cast of supporting characters. I loved getting to know Natalie and seeing her grow stronger.

I am a firm believer in books finding you when you need them! The Key To My Heart is a perfect example of this. I was approved for this eARC months ago. I requested it specifically because I am a huge fan of Lia Louis’ work. While I was so excited to read this book, I kept putting it off. I must have wanted to start it a handful of times, but other books always seemed more pressing. Today I sat down and finally read it in one sitting! I am so glad that I waited. This book was an experience that truly touched my heart and spoke to my soul.

As with her other book, The Key To My Heart deals with many heavy topics, the biggest ones being grief and guilt. I love how Louis never shies away from the sad and uncomfortable. She tackles them head on because it is apart of the human experience. While I have experiences with grief and guilt, my experience greatly differs from the characters. With that being said, the lessons Natalie, Tom, Joe, and Shauna learn are still applicable to me. They spoke to me in this stage of my life and left me encouraged.

I felt personally connected to each and every character. This is a testament to to Louis’ writing.
She has a way of capturing and evoking emotions like no other. I truly get lost in her words. I have and will continue to be a fan of her work. She will be an automatic buy author for me as long as she continues to produce books.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒦𝑒𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝑀𝓎 𝐻𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉 𝒷𝓎 𝐿𝒾𝒶 𝐿𝑜𝓊𝒾𝓈

Two and a half years after her husband dies unexpectedly, Natalie is struggling to establish a life without Russ. Her friends don’t seem to understand and feel she should have moved on by now. Then one day, as she is walking through the train station, she notices music at the piano. She believes this music has somehow been left for her specifically by Russ, somehow. The music continues to be left and she plays it each time.

While this was not a happy holiday read, as I had anticipated, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed Natalie’s journey as she searched for who could be leaving this music, began attending music therapy, continued to grieve for her husband, all well growing into a new version of herself.

This book gave me all The Holiday meets PS I Love You vibes.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After the unexpected death of her husband, Natalie Fincher is lost and struggling to move on with her life. She’s a musician, but since becoming a widow, she’s only been able to play the public piano at the train station. One day sheet music begins appearing at the piano that has special meaning to her. For the first time in awhile, she begins to feel hope and excitement.
I really enjoyed these characters. I rooted for Natalie and was completely invested in her getting the happiness that she thought she might not feel again.

Read if you like:
- Wintery Vibes
-Heart filled Books
-Sentimental Stories
-Romances

This one just tugged at my heartstrings and was so well done. I love that everything that Lia writes has so much heart, warmth, and reality to the plots where it feels so real and makes my heart burst even more for the characters that she writes.

This one took me on a journey along with the main character where I truly felt all the feels along with the character. I can't wait to read more by Lia as she continues to write wonderful stories.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for my ARC copy of this one, I was so thankful to be able to read it in exchange for my thoughts.

This took me a minute to get into! But I love Lia Louis’ writing and what she does with her characters. Don’t let the cover fool you however, this isn’t a holiday romcom! It’s much more.