This one was not for me. I just…didn’t like it. The beginning was super slow. Rosie was an unreliable narrator and I think the female unreliable narrator is not something I enjoy. I am a big Swiftie, but even for me the 13 Taylor Swift references were a little much.

4.5 stars

✨This was a fun cat and mouse thriller that really kept me on my toes. Midway through the story, the author had me completely rethinking everything I thought I knew. Then came the last lines which were just the absolute icing on the cake. Just wait and see!

🌿Read if you like:
✨epistolary format
✨dual timelines
✨shocking twists and turns
✨psychological thrillers
✨unreliable narrators

Highly recommend this one!

One of my favorite thrillers I’ve read in a while! This was reminiscent of a Freida McFadden novel to me, but with more in depth writing. I will be recommending this book to friends and buying as a gift when it releases. Thank you for the free galley!

First off, every person in this book should go to therapy...but I did not like that every woman in this book came across as "crazy" or obsessive. There was one twist in the middle of the book that I did not see coming, and then the rest of the book went in a different direction than I anticipated after that. I then quickly started to figure out the last twist with "who done it". Overall, not a bad thriller if you're looking to pick one up.

I don’t know how many times I have heard a woman called “crazy.” Or heard a woman internalize that word after someone has called her that. If I was to boil this book down to one thing, it would be that. The term of psycho/crazy/etc that we label women and what it can do to a woman’s mind. I am not a huge thriller reader. I love them but I also love my nights of restful sleep, and I’ve found the two don’t work well together for me. This book though was well worth the nights of less than stellar sleep. I was hooked from the first page, and I would have read it in one sitting if I had the chance. Rosie Lachlan’s story of receiving a heart transplant from a famous author’s wife is just the tip of the iceberg. This book has all kinds of twists and turns. Although, I guessed the major plot twists, I was still on the edge of my seat through the entire book. Since I can’t say much without spoiling the book, I’d say give this a read if you love a good psychological thriller while also having a love for Taylor Swift music. I can’t wait to read more books by Megan Collins in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #AtriaBooks for the book #CrossMyHeart by #MeganCollins. This book is filled with of drama, deceit and murder and is a wonderful book. Rosie had a heart transplant a year ago and has decided to reach out to her donor’s husband. She feels a connection to Morgan as soon as they start talking and thinks it could lead somewhere. But as things progress, she finds out things about Morgan and his deceased wife’s marriage. Is he responsible for her death? Is Rosie in danger?

Rosie was fortunate enough to receive a heart transplant she needed. A year later, she messages the donor’s husband through a platform where recipients/family members can anonymously connect to send thanks, well wishes, etc. Rosie is certain her donor is a famous author, and becomes obsessed with learning more about him. Her friend is concerned about her falling into old habits, ones that previously got her in trouble. She refuses to listen, thinking this time things will be different.

Okay so I have never felt more crazy than I did reading this, and I mean that in a good way. Megan Collins had me convinced that every character was a suspect, even the dead ones 😂 I didn’t know what was true, what was made up, and what could be from a fugue state. I could not put this book down, if not purely for my own sanity, but also because of how well crafted the story was. I have been recommending this like crazy and it’s definitely gonna be a tough one to beat on my favorites list for 2025!

Cross My Heart was such a bingeable, hard to put down, fast paced, twisty thriller that had me hooked right from the start! This was my second book by Megan Collin’s and I feel like I need to read her other backlist books asap! This was one of my favorite books that I’ve read lately, and if you’re looking for a book to pull you out of a reading slump, this is it! I did NOT see the twists coming and it had my jaw on the floor. Loved this book so much!

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for my early digital copy for my honest thoughts and review!

Cross My Heart was absolutely unhinged- and I mean that in the best way! I could not put it down.

I love that Rosie, the main character (probably also the author?), is a Gilmore Girls/ Taylor Swift fan. Actually, I just loved the main character in general. I want her “Rosie colored glasses,” even if they make me look a little bit “crazy.”

Speaking of “crazy-“ I loved how the author explored this word through several of the characters. The book makes you really think about what “crazy” actually means- that maybe we’re all a little bit crazy, or maybe certain people pull the crazy out of us.

There was one character who I thought was guilty of [redacted], admittedly even wanted it to have been this person, and yet it wasn’t. I blame the red herrings. But I wasn’t surprised by the character who actually was guilty. Still, I thought that reveal wrapped up far too quickly. I wanted more!

If you’re looking for a story that has stalking, mystery, a little bit of suspense, and a little bit of romance, definitely give this one a try! Cross My Heart comes out tomorrow, 01/14/25.

Thank you to Atria books for my early NetGalley copy. All thoughts are my own.

4 out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a wild ride this book was!!😱

So twisty!! Seriously, that twist got me so good. I was like, hold up ... WHAT!?

I LOVED the format with the emails and texts. There's just something so fun about the addition of mixed media in books.

I definitely recommend this one. Especially if you enjoy obsessive stalker vibes.

My thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for this gifted e-copy!

This is my fourth novel by Megan Collins!
In order of favourites:
The Winter Sister
Cross My Heart
Behind The Red Door
The Family Plot

This was such a fun read!

I haven't encountered a mystery/thriller quite like this in some time, and it was a refreshing alternative to the other books I've been tackling recently. The fast pacing kept me hooked from start to finish. I found the main character and her story fascinating, and I appreciated the variety of plot twists and turns—each reveal added an exciting layer to the story, making it an overall enjoyable experience.

I figured out "whodunnit" before the big reveal, but I wouldn't deduct any stars for that. The journey towards the conclusion was well-crafted, and knowing the outcome didn't diminish my enjoyment of the buildup. The author's talent for creating suspense and intrigue shone through, making this a book I'd definitely recommend adding to your TBR. 😊🖤

Thank you so much, Atria Books, for sending me this ARC!!!! It is much appreciated.

The publication date is January 14, 2025. Go get this book!

And as always, all thoughts are my own. ✨

Cross My Heart
🗓️ 01/14/2025

“She has his wife’s heart; the one she wants is his. The author of The Family Plot brings her signature “taut, emotionally charged, and propulsive” (Jeneva Rose, New York Times bestselling author) prose to a twisty novel about a heart transplant patient who becomes romantically obsessed with her donor’s husband.”

Whoa, I was not expecting to love this book like I did! It was slow to start but once it takes off you’re in for a wild ride. If you enjoy FRIENDS, Gilmore Girls and Taylor Swift, you will enjoy all the references along the way. A great thriller to start off the year!!

Thank you @netgalley @atriabooks @megancollinswriter for this advanced release copy in exchange for an honest review.

What is your most anticipated thriller of the year?

#crossmyheart #megancollins #swiftie #netgalley #netgalleyreview #atriabooks #thriller #suspense #bookstagram #newrelease #2025release #booklover

Deep hearted and easy to fall Rosie believes that she found a new man of her dreams- and why not? After being left while planning her wedding and an illness putting her on the heart donor list, doesn’t she deserve it? Except their connection, unknown to the chased Morgan, is her heart. And what really happened to that donor anyway.

Rosie wears her heart on her sleeve and as the reader, it was easy to get invested into wanting to tell her that’s not a good idea and to pump the breaks on her pursuits with Morgan. She can definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. The Instagram messages regarding Morgan and his writing were fun, as a an individual who likes to discuss books on social media. It felt relatable.

This is a slow burn; you’ll think you get a real feel for the villain. And then the second half of the story flips you on your head, and you start questioning everything. The twist in the middle saved the story from feeling like a “run of the mill” type of thriller.

I’m not sure how I feel about how all the women were written. Like they are all only boy crazy and obsessive. The women are written as the stereotype of “crazy stalker types”. I suppose the point of the story is what men drive women to do, with gaslighting and lies- but then some of the excuses the women would give for love, just reinforces the “crazy” stereotype and why men claim women get too emotional in a break up that they feel it gives them an excuse to not have the decency to do it. The justification for the behavior was a reach.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced reader copy. This novel comes out tomorrow, 14 Jan 2025!
This one kept me on my toes. This was a case of "what the heck is going on?" and trying to put the puzzle together. There was one reveal about 60% way in that made my jaw dropped and I did not see it coming. It changed my entire theory and I had to go back to my suspect list to re-analyze. All in all - I really enjoyed this one!

This book captured my imagination and just would not let go! Rosie and her heart transplant held me mesmerized with her quirky, not quite to be trusted character, her desire for love and her complete dedication to finding love in the most unlikely person, the man whose wife donated her heart. This story was head-spinning in its twists and I had no idea what to expect next from either Morgan, the author that Rosie is obsessed with, or from Rosie or even Blair, Morgan’s best friend. The plot moved along at a breakneck speed and the surprises barely gave me time to get used to one new thing when another eye-opener came along. I enjoyed that Daphne, the deceased wife, left clues about her death in her published poems. Following the clues was fun but could not always be trusted either, but the poems were well-written and added to the macabre tone of the plot. Filled with red herrings and characters who were realistic but not completely trustworthy, this book is one not to be missed by those who enjoy twisted thrillers, a quest for love and suspense that builds and does not disappoint either in chills or thrills or murders.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

I received this arc a while ago, and I have no idea why I waited so long! I absolutely loved it and read it in two sittings.

The book starts with Rosie, who received a heart translate. She begins to communicate through a donor app with the husband of the women she receives the heart from. She starts a connection and then starts to research going down the rabbit hole. From there, a lot of mysterious things begin to happen including the accusation that the husband killed the wife. I was racing to finish each chapter to see what would happen next. There are themes are obsession, delusion,

I absolutely loved Rosie. I loved all her flaws and was truly rooting for her. She felt so honest and raw. I also loved the mix of emails to give different POVs clouding the mystery even more. Some twists really had my jaw on the floor, while other were more obvious but that did not take away from the book at all. But it’s not just about the twists, the author does a good job adding layers of complexity that make the whole thing so engaging.

The first half of the book is more thriller, while the second have starts to put everything together.

Thank you to Atria and Netgalley. This book comes out tomorrow. Run to the bookstore tomorrow!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
❤️ multiple story-telling formats
❤️ single POV
❤️ single timeline
❤️ stalker thrillers
❤️ wide variety of characters
❤️ long chapters

Thank you so, so much to the author for the note at the beginning informing us that the neither the dog or cat in this story are harmed ❤️❤️❤️ I will not read any animal cruelty so I was so thankful to not have to worry about the animals the whole story!
I was really intrigued by the description of this one, as it’s a little bit different than the normal stalker thriller 😬
I loved that there were so many story-telling formats in this one!!! Narrated story-telling, dms between the 2 main characters, comments on social media posts, emails from one of the main characters and his (female) best friend, texts between many different characters… this just adds so much to the story and makes it so much more fun to read! The author even wrote poems!!! She obviously put so much effort into making this a really enjoyable book, and boy did she succeed 🩷🩷🩷🩷
Ok WOW!!! I thought I had an idea where this book was going but those TWISTS AND TURNS!!!! What an enjoyable read!! The ending was a little obvious if you know anything about anything 🤪🤪 but it was still a super fun journey of trying to figure out the killer.

“Um… Miss ma’am!?!?” This was me, page after page, trying to reason with Rosie Lachlan. Spoiler alert: she didn’t listen. And honestly? I loved every second of it.

Rosie Lachlan is giving off serious Joe Goldberg energy, and no one can convince me otherwise. She’s delulu (or should I say *passionately optimistic?*) when it comes to love, and her latest obsession - local celebrity and thriller author, Morgan Thorne. Here’s the kicker: Morgan is the widower of the woman whose heart now beats in Rosie’s chest. Yes, you read that right—Rosie received a heart transplant from Morgan’s late wife, who died under very suspicious circumstances.

The two connect through a donor messaging site, and what starts as an innocent exchange spirals into… well, a completely unhinged ride. Rosie isn’t content with just winning Morgan’s heart (literally and figuratively); she’s determined to unravel the truth about his wife’s death. Is Morgan the grieving husband he seems, or is there something darker lurking beneath the surface? The more Rosie digs, the messier—and more thrilling—the story becomes.

Rosie is an absolute riot to follow. Her inner monologues and daydreams are both hilariously naïve and endearing. You root for her because she’s so earnest, even when you’re shouting, “Girl, please! Get a grip!” She’s a perfect mix of lovable and exasperating, and her journey is one you can’t help but devour.

Speaking of devouring—I tore through this book in one sitting. Once Part 1 ended, there was no stopping me. The twists come at you fast, and the story doesn’t let up. It’s a wild, whiplash-inducing ride in the best possible way. My advice? Go in blind and buckle up.

The tagline of this book hooked me, and I’m glad it did because I loved it. So many twists and turns and new information dropped all the time. Rosie was a completely sympathizable but unreliable narrator. She’s so fixated on finding love that she goes way overboard sometimes. At times, I didn’t even know what was real. If she was going crazy or if I was going crazy! This book was a wild ride right until the very end.

This was my first Megan Collins book, and I definitely recommend it! Thanks to Atria Thrillers for the arc.

4⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy of Cross My Heart.

Rosie has just received at heart transplant and has connected with her donor’s husband online through DonorConnect. Through the conversations they have she starts to have feelings for him. She is also able to figure out who he is and that he is a famous author. She also sees online that people think he killed his wife so she starts to do an investigation of her own.

This book was so good and literally had me guessing until the end. I did not see any of the twists coming at all. I really enjoyed the characters and the writing style. This was a really good thriller/mystery!