4⭐️

Rosie Lachlan may have had the worst year of her life: a tragic breakup that eventually reveled a heart condition that needed a heart transplant. She inadvertently learns that her organ donor was the late wife of her favorite author and she begins to obsess over making him fall for her.

I liked this a lot more than I thought I was going to. There's something about an unhinged, obsessive female main character that sets my teeth on edge so I'm glad that I pushed through that discomfort. Rosie's desperate need to be loved was extremely relatable. Sure, she may have taken things a bit too far but I can totally understand it. I liked the way that certain chapters featuring an unreliable narrator made Rosie seem even more unhinged than her own chapters.

Morgan was a charismatic and charming man who seemed to love his wife and that made it easy for the reader (and most of the female characters) to fall for him. Especially with Rosie having Morgan's late wife, Daphne's, heart; it felt like fate that they would meet and fall for each other. As more and more of his personality and history is revealed, the creepier he appeared and that really amped up the tension in the story. Morgan's best friend being in the picture added a lot of suspicion to his actions that I liked. I somewhat guessed what was going to happen before it was revealed but I was really in the dark for most of this book!

Thanks Netgalley and Atria Books for providing this ARC to me!

Rosie Lachlan, a heart transplant patient, becomes obsessed with the donor’s husband. The creep factor on this one was high and I loved it. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC.

This was a fantastic thriller. I loved theuse of mixed media in between the chapters and the subtle clues the author left hinting at certain twists for those paying close attention. Each character was a tad bit crazy which made for an entertaining book. The chapters left me wanting more and of course the Taylor Swift references were fun!

I absolutely ate this one up!! I love a good obsession / stalker vibe thriller and Cross My Heart did not disappoint. An easy 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 since I was completely glued to these pages!

A thrilling stalker tale! Megan Collins writes a protagonist as relatable and heartfelt as she is (potentially) unhinged. The twist about halfway through the book GOT me good, and I was racing through the pages to see how it ended.

So grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for this fabulous arc!

I absolutely loved the concept of this! It was heavy on the "You've Got Mail" vibes, but with a thriller twist, which is very unique! I was obsessed and hooked through the first half of this story. I kept coming up with possible "solutions" to what was happening, none of which were true, by the way. I really enjoyed the anonymous emails being sent back and forth. However, when the second half of the story started (part 2), the narrative changed and I really wasn't enjoying the story as much. It seemed to fall flat very quickly and I found myself losing interest in the story. If this book had continued as the first part of the story was, it would have been an easy five star read for me. Unfortunately, I just got bored with the story and found myself disappointed.

Megan Collins has been an auto-buy author for me since The Winter Sister. The lyrical yet crisp prose, the characters that break your heart and make you gasp at the same time--there's truly nothing like Collins' work. I didn't think it would be possible to top the love I had for The Family Plot.

But then I read Cross My Heart.

I am a huge fan of unreliable narrators but it can be difficult to pull off successfully without falling into tropes. That is not an issue here. Rosie is as unpredictable as she is cringe-worthingly adorable. Her romantic ideals compared to the reality of her life make her endearing and unhinged in the best possible way. I was obsessed with this voice.

It's also worth mentioning that this is one of the best series of twists I've read in years. No spoilers, but this one is layered. Don't be fooled by the light-hearted bridal shop whims and the pretty pink cover. There is so much going on beneath the surface. This one is going to be huge. Add it to your TBRs immediately.

Huge thanks to Atria and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

I have enjoyed Megan Collins previous books and was so thankful to receive an ARC of this one from NetGalley.

There were several aspects of this book that I liked. The main character, Rosie, occasionally seems slightly unhinged so there is some unreliability in her narration. I also liked that the story included email correspondence. Various media formats seem to add positive additional background to the characters.

The story was interesting but it had a slower start. It took awhile for me to become invested but it was hard to put down once Morgan's potentially dark past with his wife came to light.

I look forward to Collins' next book! She is a must read author for me.

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy. Love-obsessed Rosie has a new heart. It used to belong to the wife of famous local writer Morgan Thorne -- and Megan strikes up a conversation with him online via a donor website, sharing stories of her new life and hearing about his. Soon, the conversation grows more intimate, and Rosie more interested in getting to know her donor's husband. Yet rumors that Morgan had something to do with his wife's death keep popping up, and Rosie isn't sure what to think.

Megan Collins has done it again! I shouldn't be surprised that her twists keep coming. Even when I thought I knew where this was going...I was wrong. Rosie is interesting and flawed and compelling, too. Definitely enjoyed this read!

I absolutely ate this book up, this was fast paced. I loved the plot, I loved everything about this book. The concept was amazing, I'm running to read everything by this author. Five star read!

It is usually difficult for a psychological thriller/mystery to surprise me, but this one did. Although I guessed the ending, the twists and turns along the way were completely unexpected. I thought the storyline was really well done, creepy, realistic and enjoyable to read. The main character and supporting cast were all really well done. I never knew who I should like or dislike, trust or not trust. I disliked them all at different points of the book. Rosie is desperate to find the one. After being left in her wedding dress, and needing an emergency heart transplant, she knows that every day is a gift. When she starts to suspect that her heart donor was the wife of a famous author, Morgan, she starts messaging him on DonorConnect. As they communicate and begin sharing personal details, Rosie begins to wonder if Morgan played any part in his wife's tragic death. A book that was difficult to put down, well written, twists and turns and a character that sucks you into their life.

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

First read of 2025! And glad I chose this book! Kept me guessing until the very end! New type of thriller for me and want more!

Rosie has had a rough couple experiences and now she has had a heart transplant and then gets fixated on the husband of her heart transplant donor……seems pretty crazy storyline but that’s nothing compared to ALL this book has in store for you! Seems she may have a stalker or someone setting her up as well! The wedding dress shop she works at adds some bonuses to story as well! I was drawn in, characters have likeable things but yet will leave you going why are they doing THAT? Keeps ya guessing, don’t see tons of twists coming and I’ve never read anything quite like this book! Definitely worth a read and adding more from this author to my list of books I want to read!

Thanks to netgalley and Atria books for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

CROSS MY HEART was twisty and full of red-herrings. It really begs the question of "How far would you go for love?" and by showing the "crazy" that often earns the credit for hurting. I enjoyed Rosie's character and had fun hunting down the truth of Daphne's life, and, ultimately her death. The ending was not something I expected, which made it all the more fun to read.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me review this amazing ARC!

This book was exactly how a psychological thriller should be - keep you guessing with twists that will leave you wanting more!

We follow Rosie throughout, who received a lifesaving heart transplant. She wants to connect with the Donor's husband, to learn more about the donor through DonorConnect, which is an anonymous service.

While learning more about his wife (the donor), she starts to discover disturbing information about the donor's husband. She starts questioning and digging into her past and ends up discovering more than she wished for.

I thought I knew where this book was going, but I had absolutely no idea, but really enjoyed the thrill of the ride! I highly recommend this book, if you enjoy psychological thrillers, with a dash of romance and a lot of stalking!

Rosie Lachlan, a year post-heart transplant, works at her family’s bridal shop. Through an anonymous chat group called DonorConnect, she discovers the identity of her donor’s husband, Morgan Thorne, a rising author whose wife tragically passed away in a home accident. Unresolved from a past breakup, Rosie’s life remains unfulfilled.

Despite the group’s strict privacy guidelines, Morgan gradually builds trust in Rosie. However, her feelings for him transcend mere trust. She yearns for a deeper connection, a complete union.

Rosie remains oblivious to Morgan’s thoughts and desires, while her growing obsession intensifies. Meanwhile, Morgan meticulously plots his next novel, and Rosie embodies the character he seeks to portray perfectly.

As I delved deeper into this captivating narrative, I couldn’t help but recall the Aretha Franklin song, “Who’s Zoomin’ Who?” This song encapsulates the essence of the story. It’s a far cry from the characters’ lives, yet it keeps readers guessing with unexpected twists. Megan Collins weaves a well-crafted and thought-provoking narrative that may leave readers spellbound and unable to put this book down.

Many thanks to Atria Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

What does crazy mean?

This is an essential question in the first outstanding thriller that I have read for 2025. Five stars for this incredible read by one of my favorite authors!

Rosie Lachlan is looking for something we all search for: love. Her journey has been difficult to say the least. She works in the bridal shop her parents started, and she helps future brides find their perfect dress. She also has health issues. She needed a heart transplant, and now she spends her days managing her condition. Rosie receives some information that leads her to the husband of her donor. This sets off a chain of events that changes her life in ways she was not expecting.

Rosie is one of the most fascinating characters I have ever come across in a thriller. On the surface, it would be so easy to categorize her as an unreliable narrator, but that would be reductive. She has so many of the same feelings, hopes, and fears that we all do. Rosie is definitely not the same woman at the end of this story as she was at the beginning. There are so many twists and turns in this one.

Megan Collins crafts a sharp and twisted story here. She really makes you root for Rosie and points out what is wrong with so much of what women go through when trying to find “the one.” I was always one step behind in this story. I was unnerved, anxious, and confused throughout this read - and I mean that as a compliment. The supporting characters’ actions kept me just as off balance as Rosie did.

The last chapter of this one is incredible! There are so many plot points and twists that I want to discuss here, but I refuse to give anything away - go into this one blind. This is a great selection for a book club. What a discussion that would be!

This is - in my opinion - Megan Collins’s best book yet! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this terrific book! It releases on January 14th - preorder it now!

Thank you to Atria and Megan Collins for the advanced copy!

One of my most anticipated reads of the year and it more than surpassed my expectations. This story was told in a mixed media format, with email exchanges and some poetry sprinkled throughout - it was so unique and fresh! Our FMC’s seeming obsession over her heart transplant’s husband pulled me in and the pacing kept me locked in and reading quickly! Speaking of a heart transplant, I found that material fascinating and thought the author did a very respectful job at portraying what life after a transplant is like. No spoilers but the twist that was halfway through made me gasp - so cleverly executed and it worked perfectly! There is nothing I enjoy in a thriller than a twist I didn’t see coming, and boy did Collins deliver!

Megan Collins is one of those authors who never misses - somehow every book is better than the one before it!

“Cross My Heart” releases January 14, 2024. This review will be shared to my Instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

This was a good mystery that I did enjoy. A little predictable, the author did try to throw the reader of the the killer's scent but I got it. Opened my eyes a little to the greats of poetry that I had no knowledge about.

A heart transplant patient becomes enamored with her donor's husband. While navigating and planning her soon to be future with him, i.e stalking him, he winds up dead with the evidence pointing to her as the killer. As she tries to clear her name and also uncover how his wife really died, she comes to terms of how her behavior from her past may be contributing to putting herself in impossible situations. Let's see if she learns from this experience.

Solid 3.5 stars!!!

Thanks to Atria ans NetGalley for this ARC, Beyond grateful and humbled

CROSS MY HEART OUT JAN 14TH 2025!

You donate your wife's organs. amazing thing to do. Right? What if the person receiving one of those organs now thinks they belong in your life. As your wife...