Cover Image: Owner of a Lonely Heart

Owner of a Lonely Heart

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This book is a great, quick read. The characters were beautifully written and each dealing with their own things.

Was this review helpful?

This was a nice read. It was a little long and felt realllllly slow. It’s hard to keep attention in a slow story. However, it was a heart touching book.

Was this review helpful?

Owner of a Lonely Heart is a beautifully crafted novel that explores the healing power of connection, the resilience of the human spirit, and the transformative potential of love. Eva Carter masterfully navigates the complexities of grief and rebuilding, delivering a story that is both heartrending and uplifting, leaving readers with a sense of hope and the belief in the transformative magic of second chances.

Was this review helpful?

Super quick read, super sweet, and once again Wood's put the ear worm and now I can't get the song out of my head! Haha. IYKYK. Definitely loved this read!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick. Our library purchased and our patrons have been checking out and and enjoying the book. I see it is a popular book club choice as well we hope to have more oppurtinies to support authors like them

Was this review helpful?

Super fast, simple ,very predictable love story. You can see it coming as soon as the characters are introduced. The characters have faced obstacles and have a past but there is just not the depth of personality and events because it is all so rushed. It makes an attempt at dealing with some difficult situations bit doesn't quite make the mark for me. Overall, just an ok read. I was provided an advanced reader copy and was under no obligation to provide a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to the author. publisher,and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Was this review helpful?

I wanted to like this story more than I did. I liked the characters, but couldn't buy the chemistry between the two MCs. It came off a bit cold and even the interactions with Casey, the daughter, feel a little off. Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me.

Was this review helpful?

Gemma and Dan have great chemistry and compliment each other well. This was a quick but emotional read overall. I think the characters are really likeable and this story covers sensitive topics such as cancer and fertility issues and I think Eva Carter did a great job covering and handling the hard topics. Overall this was a good read.

Was this review helpful?

Owner of a Lonely Heart was beautiful and covers so many tough topics such as grief, cancer, mental health, and abandonment while inspiring hope and the blessing of found family. The characters were all beautifully written and all broken in their own ways. I loved the complexity of the story and the characters and their relationships are in this books. This book is so much more than just a love story. It explores the complicated nature of the human existence and how we cope to survive day to day. The one and only complaint that had me drop my rating to 4 stars is that I felt the ending was good but too compressed. I wish the pacing for the end had been different but it was still impactful and heartwarming.

Was this review helpful?

3.5 Stars - Such a fast read, and a fast romance. Honestly, I couldn't really relate with this romance or the family situation. It was thoughtful and well written with each character being well thought-out, but the downfall of this book is the pacing. If you love fast books with fast romances and a lot of baby/family talk, this is for you.

Was this review helpful?

“Owner of a Lonely Heart” is a beautiful story that deals with tough subjects. Casey is a twelve-year-old girl battling a recurrence of brain cancer. She is spending a month in Bristol to undergo photon beam therapy and will be staying with the father (Dan) she has never met. She is both excited and anxious to meet him, especially as her mother, Angelica, has a very negative opinion of Dan (understandably so). Her mother is also excessively overprotective and restrictive. This behavior comes with good intentions, but Angelica experiences such overwhelming anxiety and fear that she cannot see that she is preventing Casey from being a child. Casey would like nothing more than to be “normal” for a while, not defined by her tumor (which she named Bob).

Dan had a difficult childhood — no mother, grifter father who ends up in prison, foster care, and his own stint in prison. However, he has turned his life around, and he now works to help others who have found themselves in similar situations. Yet, he cannot escape his past, especially when efforts to impress Casey result in a series of lies and misrepresentations that will eventually be discovered.

Gemma is a widow, losing her husband to cancer. When he was still alive, they took steps to create embryos so they could have children in the future. Gemma is going through IVF to try to make that dream come true and have that permanent piece of the life and future she lost. However, IVF has not worked so far, and she is down to the last embryo.

Gemma and her dog, Bear, volunteer at the hospital where her husband was treated, with Bear providing companionship to children battling cancer. That is where they will meet Casey and Dan and develop a connection that will turn their lives upside down.

One of the best parts of the book is Gemma’s generally upbeat attitude and her ability and willingness to see the best in others.

Was this review helpful?

Whew! This was definitely an emotional read. Told from the viewpoint of three individuals — Gemma, Dan, and Casey — you will get to experience a myriad of emotions. And I think that’s what kept me from giving this book 4 stars. It seemed unrealistic that everything could happen in just 4 short weeks. That seemed a little rushed. Another thing that bothered me was how quickly Gemma could suddenly “fall in love” with Dan when she was still grieving the death of her first husband. Just seemed a little too easy. There are definitely some positive aspects to the book and I loved Bear.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Was this review helpful?

Is there such as thing as perfect timing? If so, Gemma and Dan certainly don’t have it. Surprised by an undeniable connection and instant attraction, both would admit they were caught off guard by their chance encounter. Were they brought into each others lives to help mend their lonely hearts, or will they push each other further into isolation?

Eva Carter’s Owner of a Lonely Heart teaches readers it is never too late to right our wrongs. The character growth displayed in this book is some of the best I have ever read. Without giving too much away, Dan Lennon’s journey was inspiring. Carter takes a man who could be seen as deplorable and turns him into one you sympathy and root for.

I enjoyed Carter’s writing so much, I already have plans to read her first book, How to Save a Life. If that book is anything like this one, I know I will love it!!!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine (Dell) for allowing me to reach this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Was this review helpful?

I began listening to this and have to pause due to the sad nature of the plot... I am sure it will end up being uplifting, so I will pick it up again at a later date. Thank you!

Was this review helpful?

This was a solid, character driven book. You are really driven to want to see the characters be successful and come out stronger than they came in. Even though the plot was slow, this was a redeeming quality.

Was this review helpful?

I liked this, but I didn't love it. I thought the different viewpoints were a unique way to tell the story, but there were a few too many 'voices.' I didn't love the ending and thought some of the conflicts were a bit forced.

I received this book from NetGalley. Opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

I really liked this one. Will definitely be interested in anything else coming from this author. Would recommend

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance read copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

This is a lovely book. Fast read. Love, family, forgiveness, grief, all presented in a soft gentle way that shows people being human without stressing the reader. I highly recommend this book. Especially if you are looking for a light, fast read.

Was this review helpful?

This was such a sweet and very touching romance. The dog was everything in this book. I loved how much Gemma truly cared for Casey beyond anything going on with her and Dan. I would definitely recommend this one to others.

Was this review helpful?

A beautiful story of love, loss trying to figure out how to move forward when the life you have planned for is upended. Gemma is reeling from the loss of her beloved husband. Newly married, they were planning on children and growing old together and now she has to figure out what’s next without him and all of the plans they’d made.
Then there is Dan. He lives an incredible tidy quiet life and likes it that way. No use, no fuss, no emotional attachments. His quiet world is upended when the daughter he never met contacts him and needs his help. When the two meet with the help of Gemmas adorable pup, Bear, both of their lives are changed in ways neither could ever have imagined. A great cast and wonderful writing make this an easy emotional read that will leave you happy and hopeful. Plus, you can’t help yourself from falling just a little bit in love with Bear and wanting all the best for Gemma and Dan.

Was this review helpful?