Cover Image: The Shape of Your Heart

The Shape of Your Heart

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Callie lost her fiancé on the day of their wedding and fast forward to the 1st anniversary of the fateful day, Callie is no way near to moving on with her life. She still stayed in the same house that are supposed to be their family home and the only solace she has is the beautiful garden that she created. Nathan who due to recent health scare decided to move to the village for a better lifestyle. He bought a small cottage and he need help to create and maintain the garden for him. He found Callie and engaged her to do the garden for him like the one she has created at her home.

It is a story about finding love again after a traumatic event in their life. Callie’s world was totally collapsed and reading her story make me tear up while Nathan was given a 2nd chance to live again after a life threatening event. There is a twist in the story at the end which I did not expect but it is a lovely ending to a sad story. Overall it is an emotional read to me.
Was this review helpful?
It’s a great easy read, perfect for a holiday, a rainy Sunday or any other time you just want to escape. 
Ultimately the book is about love and healing, and left me feeling satisfied, definitely worth a read.
Was this review helpful?
A wonderful story about people dealing with lost and grief at different points in their lives and still finding each other.
Was this review helpful?
Without giving the main plot away, this book reminded me of Thanks for the Memories by Cecelia Ahern and followed a similar storyline. I also love these sorts of reads as it does make you wonder whether memories can be stored in parts of your body and when transplanted develop in the "new recipient".
Was this review helpful?
If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would . A book I could relate too
I started this book and couldn’t put it down - real life was put on hold .
This book was beautifully written, exploring the thoughts and feelings of the main characters Callie and Nathan .
There were some twists to the plot which I didn’t expect and some I could see coming but these did not spoil the story. An emotional rollercoaster of a book but exceptional- I didn’t want to finish it 
This book dealt with grief and the tiny steps needed to move on , major health issues and coming to terms with the consequences. It was also about healing and how family and friends can help you move on .
This book was a book which will stay with me- a special book which I can highly recommend 
Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Debbie Howells for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review
Was this review helpful?
Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley.  I loved this book.  The characters were multidimensional and well-written, and the story engaging.  Complex and emotive themes were sensitively explored, and I really rooted for the characters.
Was this review helpful?
This book is written with great pacing. There is not a ton of major action, but there is enough going on that it does work well. I think that the author's choice to alternate between male and female MC narration worked well in this book (I do find that this style is a bit overused in contemporary romance but this one warranted it). I also like that it was a very slow romance which made sense based on the trauma Callie experienced and the grief she was working through. I think it was really neat the ways that the heart was used in both symbolic and literal ways, and in both representations; a bodily organ and a symbol of love. There were definitely a few curve balls I didn't see coming, and a few semi-predictable relationship misunderstandings (ex. catching the guy you like with a hot girl who happens to be his sister...), and some interesting opportunities to reflect on love, relationships, loss and independence. My only minor downside was that there was a good amount of information about Callie's backstory (events 1 year in the past), and not so much for Nathan. I think this was a conscious choice based on the slow reveal of information later in the story, but I think that an equal amount of info could have been given for Nathan's past without giving away any spoilers, and having a similar affect in the reveal. It just might have been helpful in creating two equal main characters. Overall it was a good book and I'd definitely recommend it.
Was this review helpful?
Well written with an engaging storyline and well developed characters. I found some parts predictable, but I did still really enjoy it.
Was this review helpful?
I couldn’t actually finish this one as things that were happening with the dad in the story were a little too close to home after losing my dad last year.. 

But I did really enjoy the 60% I did read and I’m hoping to be able to go back and reread it at some point in the future.
Was this review helpful?
This is a book I truly wish I could read for the first time all over again. I’m in complete awe and fangirl mode at how utterly fantastic this book is.
Was this review helpful?
I was not a fan of this book. I didn't finish it, due to the fact. The book felt like it was repeating many movies that I had already seen and it did not feel original at all.
Was this review helpful?
⭐️Rating: 3/5
✍🏼Author: Debbie Howells
📖Genre: Romance

This is a love story romance about Callie and Nathan as they navigate life through self discovery and deal with their own experiences of grief. Callie lost her fiance unexpectedly and Nathan dealt with a serious health issue that forced him to take a hard look at his life and make necessary changes.  They both find each other at vulnerable stages of their lives and develop a bond that later develops into something more. 

This was such a beautiful, well written, light read that captivated my heart. I thought the author did a phenomenal job with the character development and storyline. 


Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are that of my own.
Was this review helpful?
This highly entertaining romantic read grabbed me from the very early chapters and had me invested in Callie's story. I particularly enjoyed how the characters were all entwined together. (No spoilers here!) Fast-paced and emotionally driven, with a beautiful storyline focusing on loss, love and new beginnings, this could have easily been a 24-hour read.

Howells writing style flows well, and this is my favourite read by her that I have read so far. An absolute delight!

The only reason why this is not a five-star read for me is that I did manage to guess the conclusion, but this is only my personal opinion. The majority of romance reads all end in the same way, don't they - which is likely to be their appeal to readers.

I highly recommend this read to all fans of this genre, and it would make a great read, either in the summer sun or to cosy up with in the colder months. Grab a copy today!
Was this review helpful?
Callie's life is going great,  she's the happiest she's ever been,  but on her wedding day,  she loses her fiance. A year later,  she's still grieving but determined to find happiness again.  Nathan survived a health scare and decides he wants a slower pace in life so he moves into a small cottage in Cornwall. A series of events lead them to each other and Callie decides to help him with his garden.  They become friends and then more,  helping each other to heal and live again. 
This book was focused more on grief and healing than the underlying romance.  It's definitely not a happy,  feel-good story but it is full of hope and I felt it accurately portrayed the grieving process Callie went through.  Although sad, I believed the book was well written with beautiful descriptions of the surrounding area.
 I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Was this review helpful?
This book follows Callie on the rocky journey of grief after she loses her fiancé, Liam just before their wedding.  It's blunt in that there are days that Callie doesn't want to get out of bed.  Then even though she gradually starts going about her days again, she still isn't "whole."  

When Callie meets Nathan, she doesn't realize that he has been through his own year of drama and change.  Following a severe illness himself, he's taken on a new attitude with life and is determined to slow down and enjoy it more.  He's given up his partying ways and wants to be present and actually live and enjoy his life.  Part of that for him is getting to know the sweet widow better.  Unfortunately, Callie isn't quite ready to move on into a romantic relationship yet.

As the two maintain their friendship "only" relationship, it's sweet to see how they continue to connect in many ways.  It may take time apart for them to both realize exactly what is most important to them and how to best achieve it.

The characters in this book are well-written and easy to connect with.  In addition, the side characters are strong and vital to the storyline as well.  Another important factor is the impact that the location has on the characters and their story.  A big portion of the story revolves around Callie's hope that Nathan will work to preserve the land that he's looking to develop and try to damage it as little as possible.  In addition, the beach near where they live is a connection for them both.  It's where Callie initially met her fiancé, Liam and also Nathan later on.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.  I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.
Was this review helpful?
An emotional read. Callie is still not over Tuesday of her fiance when she meets Nathan. She is still struggling when she finds out a bit secret - will.She be able to move on with Nathan when she finds this ojt. I liked how it was told from both points of view.
Was this review helpful?
My heart broke for Called who was left at the altar. Liam died on the war to the wedding in a car accident. So Called was left to figure q how to keep living. 

I was instantly sucked into q story. I finished it in one sitting. I really liked Callie and was with her on her journey. 

I liked Nathan too. Both were realistically written. The continued meetings and coincidences were nice.
I cried quite a bit and always sadly.
I really liked the setting of Cornwall and the descriptions were beautiful.

This will stay in my memory for quite awhile.

Highly recommended

Thanks to the author and Goodwood books and Netgalley for the opportunity

4 1 \2 stars
Was this review helpful?
I love a story where you are fully invested in the characters.

Callie is set to marry love of her life Liam, he gets her, they love the same things and she can't believe how perfectly they fit together.

On the day of their wedding, Liam sadly passed away. Callie has to do life without him now.

She meets Nathan who moves to a cottage in Callie's town. He is going through his own issues which was the reason for his move. As Callie's feelings grow for Nathan, she has to choose to continue wallowing in her grief or move on.

The descriptions in this book are stunning and love how true to life both Nathan and Callie's feelings are. It accurately portrays what grief is like and shows the important of relationships, not just romantic, and reinforces that we need to live life to the fullest.
Was this review helpful?
Thank you Booldwood Books and Netgalley for this book. I give five star to this sad end emotional read. Even this book not made me cry I liked the main characters so much that I give all stars. They both receive a second chance in life. Just they need a little longer to see that. There are some twists and a familly matters from both side. I maybe wanted to have desire more their time for just them. No relationship is perfect but we.can always try to do our best.
Was this review helpful?
The Shape of Your Heart is a sweet, romantic, beautiful read that is so much more than the inital meet cute i thought it would be. The Shape of Your Heart has such depth of emotion and wonderfully flawed characters that you feel like they are your friends. We meet Callie who is all settled in life, ready to begin the next chapter with her Fiance when fate has other plans, and suddenly Callies world comes crashing down around her. We meet her a year down the line slowly starting to emerge the fog that she has spent the last year wrapped in. Shes slowly starting to see just maybe she can be happy.

Nathan has slowed down his pace of life after he needed to make some changes for the better, when he meets the woman on the beach and he feels immediately drawn to her, just like he was to his new home. As they start to discover each other, he learns her heart is still torn and with another but can they help each other navigate the changes they both need to make?

I honestly loved this, it was so much deeper than alot of books, the way it was written you felt every emotion along with Callie. I dont know if it was the way Callie was written or the way the whole narrative was wrriten but my feels were all over the place. It was complex and dealt with grief in a beuatifully written way. This was one of those books i was excited to curl up under my blanket with to read more.
Was this review helpful?