Rosie Lachlan is in love with love. She manages her parents’ bridal salon, and remains steadfastly determined to find "the one". She thought she had found him. In fact, she even bought a wedding dress..... then got dumped in said wedding dress. Then she had to have a heart transplant because of cardiomyopathy that wasn't diagnosed until she was an adult. After receiving the transplant, she goes on DonorConnect, and begins messaging the widower of the woman whose heart she received. They begin exchanging messages, and she not only learns a lot more about her donor, but she really begins to feel a connection with him. She does some sleuthing and discovers that he is local celebrity author Morgan Thorne. She’s convinced that now that she has his wife’s heart, she and Morgan are meant to be together.. She begins to hear some disturbing rumors about his wife's death, implicating him. She will have to decide whether to continue to pursue this potential romance, or stop all correspondence before she becomes another one of his victims.

I LOVED this book! I couldn't put it down. It was impossible to tell whether or not Rosie was an unreliable narrator, because of all of the strange things that kept happening that were implicating her, and things that kept happening that she didn't remember doing. She was impossible not to like, while at the same time, she was frustrating the way she would latch onto men with the slightest bit of attention and be convinced they were "meant to be". I get the whole wanting to find "the one" I have been there. So that was relatable. But it consumed her, and it was almost her entire identity. The book was told in alternating parts between the main story and then messages on DonorConnect. The mystery kept me guessing, and the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. If you love a good psychological thriller,, then you will love this!

Rosie is the kind of character I both loved and wanted to aggressively throw my kindle at! She’s so sweet and caring but honestly a bit bonkers at times. When her life gets turned upside down after a heart transplant and a failed relationship she seeks comfort in the husband of the woman whose heart now belongs to her. But when she starts getting too invested in him, things start to go sideways. A fast paced thriller with lots of twists and turns!

Rating 4.25 ☆

Cross My Heart by Megan Collins is a gripping thriller that I could not put down. It has been a while since I have actually not been able to fully predict a thriller or at least have some idea of what direction the story was leaning towards. I have missed feeling like I had to know more, like I had to find out what was happening in the exact moment I was reading, and that book made me feel that.
It's fast-paced, and not too much twist and turns, quite the contrary, The way the book is written (so far, considering it's an ARC) is really well executed. I could feel the eerie vibes from across my screen!

Due out next week, January 14th.
4.5 rounded up

This was a wild start for 2025. One of those books where you're just getting into enjoying the setup and characters and then the author tweaks the perspective ever so slightly and WHAT?!

Rosie had been feeling awful, when her fiancee dumped her after seeing her in her wedding dress. Then quite a bit worse as her health began to rapidly deteriorate. Now, after receiving a heart transplant, life is slowly getting easier for her. She's begun to correspond via a site called DonorConnect, where donors and their loved ones can anonymously message with recipients. She's known that her heart came from a local woman, the wife of an author, though that information is confidential. Now, as they've reached out in email via DonorConnect, some of the things the husband tells her in their emails don't quite match up with the way his wife's death was reported, but Rosie has become infatuated with him, and wants to move forward with meeting him IRL even though some things seem not quite right.

As a transplant RN in my pre-childbearing life, I was so glad that the author went to the trouble of getting things right, from the importance of meds and regular biopsies, to discussing surgical nerve interruption as well as rejection. I love that the reader can learn a bit about why organ donation is so valuable and also that a new organ isn't all that's involved for a recipient.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this one a lot -- it was a little twisty but the writing was good! I especially liked the emails written back and forth between some of the characters. Although I think the blurb for this book makes it sound a lot cheesier than it actually is, the plot was well done and I'd definitely read more from this author. Give it a try if you like thrillers!

Cross My Heart comes out next week on January 14, 2025 and you can purchase HERE.

I've decided there's no way to begin this message that isn't either (1) creepy or (2) awkward, so I'm just going to dive right in to the Creepy/Awkward Pool and hope I don't drown.

One year ago today, your wife saved my life. And it breaks my heart that, in order for me to live, she first had to die.

Actually, I shouldn't say that. I know it's just an expression-breaks my heart—but it feels a little reckless for me to use it. Because, this time, I plan to be careful with my heart. With your wife's, I mean. I plan on keeping it whole.

I don't remember a lot about the day of the transplant. For that whole week, I'd been in and out of consciousness. But I remember the light in the operation room, just before they put me under, so sharp and bright it felt like a slap of sunlight. I remember realizing, then, that it had been months since I'd felt the actual sun on my face, because even before the hospital, before my symptoms, I'd been in such a dark place. From November 16 to that day, May 3, I'd barely stepped outside.

Sorry if that's too bleak or too much. I just want you to know your wife gave me even more than her heart. She gave me light again.
Gave me the reminder that, despite all the darkness I'd indulged, there was still, somehow, sun.

A tangled web we weave when an unstable “Single White Female” plans to deceive! This was a wild delulu ride, very entertaining and that first twist got me! I loved the addition of emails and texts, they made the story all the more Intriguing and twisty.

Cue Taylor Swift’s “Don’t Blame Me” but also… don’t call girls crazy!

Cross My Heart revolves around our main character Rosie who has recently had a heart transplant. Shortly after the surgery she guesses just whose heart she has inherited and her curiosity gets the best of her as she becomes close with her donors husband through a series of anonymous emails. Only she thinks she knows who she is talking to… but does he?

This was a whirlwind of a plot driven guessing game! I could not put this book down. A classic uh oh it’s 2am now and I have work in the morning 🤣 if you’re a girlie who enjoys thrillers you CANNOT miss this one!

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC! Cross my Heart publishes next week on January 14

This one will have you scratching your head halfway through. Told through emails and by Rosie, it's the story of a woman who becomes obsessed with the husband of the woman whose heart she received when her own failed. Rosie first writes to Morgan via a site for donors and donees but she quickly realizes who he is and that he lives close to her. She's been living at her parents' house and working as the manager of their wedding boutique as she recovers from the transplant and from the devastation of being dumped by her fiance. But now she's focused on Morgan and whether he actually did kill his wife as some have suggested. And then.....no spoilers! The second half of this will have you asking what's really happening, wondering about Rosie's mental health (a very fair question) and turning the pages looking for answers. It might get a little implausible in spots but go with it. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. This made a great read on a snowy day (and will be just as good at the beach!)

I’ve been a big fan of Megan Collins since THE FAMILY PLOT and still was taken by surprise as she knocked the socks off of me with CROSS MY HEART! The plot twists left me gasping and I adored how such small details gave me a whole horde of goosebumps. I’ll be shouting about this book to everyone I see!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

First, I love the dedication: "For anyone who relates to "The Prophecy" by Taylor Swift....." This song totally fits the FMC Rosie.

Rosie Lachlan recently had her heart broken twice, once when her ex Brad ended their relationship and then again when her heart physically quit working. A year after receiving her heart transplant, Rosie connects with her donor's husband, Morgan Thorne, a famous author in the area. Rosie, desperate for real love, gets attached to her communication with Morgan quickly and finds herself fantasying about the relationship they could have. However, the more she learns about him, the more she questions if his wife's death was an accident or murder. When Morgan ends up murdered, the police immediately suspect Rosie and she must prove her innocence before it's too late.

I devoured 80% of this book in one sitting. It's a classic "who done it" with some fun twists. Rosie was a bit much and very stalkerish in some instances, but it didn't prevent me from reading the book.

I’ve seen a majority of good reviews and I am curious why but not enough to make myself push through. Also, anyone else have “cross my heart, hope to die, to my lover I’ll never lie” by Halsey stuck in their head every time they see the cover

Is he The One or is more thIan her heart in danger?

Rosie is a romantic, someone who as her friend Nina always says wears "Rosie colored glasses" through which to see the world. Her romantic history however has not been good....she is the perennial dumpee, never the dumper. Her last relationship ended when her fiancé Brad backed out on their wedding day when she was in her wedding dress. She thought her heart was broken, but it turned out that it was actually infected and dangerously enlarged. She was lucky enough to receive a new heart, a donor transplant, a year ago and is working to build back her life. She is convinced that her donor was the late wife of famous local author Morgan Thorne, and through a company which allows organ recipients and donor families to communicate with one another anonymously begins an online exchange of emails with him which convince Rosie that Morgan is The One. Since she also has a history of going a bit overboard early on in relationships (and staying there) Nina counsels her to back off, that a relationship with the man whose late wife's heart is now hers is not a good idea. It doesn't seem like Rosie is going to follow that advice, not even. when she reads online speculation that Daphne's death was no accident. Is Morgan the man Rosie thinks she is, the kind and funny guy who will be her partner for life? Or is he someone darker, someone who might have killed his wife....and might be setting her up to be the next to die?
Cross My Heart is a twisty thriller with a touch of rom-com, featuring a dyed-in-the-wool romantic who thinks she's Meg Ryan in Sleepless in Seattle when she's actually Julia Roberts in Sleeping WIth the Enemy. She's warm-hearted and sweet, but also very insecure and needy (not traits likely to endear her to me). I suspect that most women (maybe men too) have had a period in their life or been involved in a relationship with someone which was more about what you wanted it to be than what it actually was, though hopefully it was a stage or relationship from which you learned some valuable insights and moved on to wiser choices. Rosie hasn't quite nailed that lesson yet. although she has just made a friend who has recently been dumped too and she's trying to help Esther through the painful recovery process. There is humor sprinkled throughout the story to balance out Rosie's growing suspicions and brushes with danger. The plotting is well-paced and Rosie's physical and emotional fragility are a counterbalance to the, well, really odd obsession she develops about Morgan. Once I picked the book up I didn't want to put it down, and although I had my suspicions about different characters there were plenty of turns that I didn't see coming. Readers of authors like Kate Alice Marshall, Lisa Unger and Leah Konen will find Cross My Heart right up their alley, as should anyone looking for a suspenseful thriller lightened by some humor and romance. My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me early access to author Megan Collins' latest female-centric thriller.

4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. The story centers on Rosie Lachlan, a heart transplant recipient who develops an unsettling obsession with her donor’s husband, Morgan Thorne. It’s a dark, fascinating premise that explores themes of obsession, identity, and emotional complexity.

Megan Collins’ writing really shines—her prose is vivid and immersive, and she does a great job capturing Rosie’s inner turmoil. The character development, especially for Rosie, is layered and compelling, making her both relatable and unsettling. That said, the pacing felt uneven at times, and some parts of the story dragged. I couldn’t help but feel that it might have been stronger as a novella, with a tighter, more focused narrative.

Even with the pacing issues, the book is full of unexpected twists and morally complex moments that keep you engaged. It’s a solid, entertaining read for fans of psychological thrillers who enjoy flawed characters and stories that make you think.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cross My Heart is a very good thriller by Megan Collins about a woman who received a heart transplant. Cross My Heart is a thriller that gives you so many suspects that it's hard to figure out the killer. Rosie Lachlan received her new heart and now takes lots of anti-rejection medication to keep it in good condition. Rosie was dumped a year ago while wearing a wedding dress she had bought. She's still heartbroken and misses her boyfriend. Rosie decides to reach out through the Donor Connect email to let the person's family know how much she appreciates the gift of a new heart. She thinks the heart belonged to a local author's wife who recently died in her home. Morgan Thorne is the author and his wife, Daphne, was found dead after a fall in her bathroom. Morgan was home at the time, but says he didn't know that Daphne had fallen. He admits to hearing a thump while writing his current novel, but didn't think twice about it. Is this true? Did Morgan want his wife to die? Was he involved?

Morgan likes that the donor recipient reached out to him. Rosie knows who Morgan is and that he lives close to her parents. Rosie is staying above her parent's garage since her transplant so that they can help her if needed. Rosie thinks since she has Daphne's heart that her and Morgan are meant to be together. Rosie has a way of throwing herself into relationships way too quickly before the other person is ready. She did that before and now she seems to be headed that way again. As she and Morgan email each other through Donor Connect they develop a friendly banter. Rosie wants to know more about Daphne and begins to research her. Daphne was a poet, but Morgan never mentions that. A lot of her poems are quite dark and could be about her marriage! Was she not happy with Morgan? Was Morgan an abusive husband?

This book will have you looking at everyone suspiciously as you get further and further into it. I really enjoyed the book and did not guess the killer correctly. Megan Collins does a great job of developing a unique thriller that will keep you reading late into the night! I rate Cross My Heart 4 stars with a high recommendation. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy of Cross My Heart in exchange for a fair review. Cross My Heart comes out on January 14 and should go in your TBR pile! #CrossMyHeart

This was honestly fantastic. I personally didn't really care for the family plot, but with this one Megan Collins ate (an almond croissant) and left no crumbs. I love unhinged leads, and literally everyone in this book is a psycho down to Sickle the cat. Absolutely recommend this.

Rosie has just received a new heart, which is a good thing since her last one was trampled by her ex-fiance Now she is desperate to find a new love- and the one she sets her eyes on may have a link to the new organ which is beating in her chest, unbeknown to him. However, as Rose falls deeper for a man she thinks she knows, she learns he may be the reason she received his dead wife's heart after all...

This book is split into two parts. The first part consists of correspondences between Rosie and the man of her infatuation, Morgan and it's through rose coloured glasses- which happens to be the same colour as Rosie's pink hair. The second half takes a darker turn and had me wondering if I was reading the same book but in the best way possible.

This was such a deliciously twisted and unique psychological thriller. In a really great feat of the unreliable narrator trope, readers won't know who to trust- is Rosie who she says she is? Is the man she is falling for a killer? Even advanced thriller fans won't see the many, many, many plot twists coming! Rosie was a fantastic character and despite everything I was rooting for her- and you will too.

A 4.5 star read for me. Thank you Atria and Netgalley for an earc in exchange for my honest review.

The narrator annoyed me for a bit but as the story gets further underway you realize she’s not so bad. And she toughens up a lot by the end. I appreciate her self-reflection!

I like the idea that some of the “crazy” is only partially in being a little bit much and a lot has to do with how that too much is perceived and handled.

There were also multiple twists, some of which are expected but I like the cleverness of one halfway through.

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

🥰Thank you so much to @atriabooks for the gifted book!

📖Title: Cross My Heart
✍️Author: Megan Collins
📅Pub date: January 14, 2025

🧠🤯It's been a while since I've read a TRUE psychological thriller that actually messed with my brain and had me questioning EVERYTHING! I was back and forth on what I thought was happening every couple seconds.

💻When I say I FLEW through this book, I read the whole ting in one day! I literally couldn't put it down for a second, I was so hooked!

🫀I won't go into the full synopsis, but I will say this is a story about a real heart transplant, obsession, toxic relationships and questioning how well you really know others and yourself. The ending will leave you questioning EVERYTHING 😳

💌Definitely pick this one up! I've read a couple of Megan's books in the past and this is her best BY FAR! If you thought her previous books were a little too...out there... this one felt more mainstream thriller to me than some of the previous ones.

This was my first Megan Collins novel and I am thoroughly impressed! From the very start we are thrust into a whirlwind of distrust and murder. We follow heart transplant patient Rosie as she anonymously connects with her donors famous husband via a donor connect chat site. Morgan’s wife died under somewhat mysterious circumstances but once things for sure is that Rosie is beyond grateful because without Daphne’s untimely death, she wouldn’t be alive. Morgan’s an author who Rosie is familiar with but the deeper we dive the more is uncovered that Rosie didn’t know. This was a wild ride and I enjoyed Every fun second of it. Thanks to NetGalley for

Okay we have Rosie receiving the heart from Morgan’s dead wife. Is Rosie mentally unbalanced? Is Morgan a killer? Can we trust what anyone is saying in this book? This is a (fun) stressful way to read a book. I kept second guessing myself, the characters, what I had read. I also think this book could have easily been titled “Red Flags” because oh my were there a lot of them! It was like a parade of red flags! Such a thrilling off kilter read!