Cross My Heart is a sufficiently suspenseful mystery whose true virtues lie in its ability to engender empathy for messy but authentic female characters, augment understanding of underrepresented human experiences, and expose the not-so-sneaky ways misogyny works to discredit women and dismantle their self-confidence. Though absorbing and binge-able, this book is a triumph for more than just its entertainment value. Alongside the work of fellow authors such as Jacqueline Bublitz and Gillian Flynn, Collins’s fifth novel helps shape a new generation of thrillers that furthers the conversation about who gets to tell women’s stories and what kinds of women are deemed worthy of compassion.

A quick easy read with lots of twists and turns! The pacing towards the seemed a bit off to me and the ending felt a little rushed but it was still a fun twisty read!

Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and author for the chance to read this ARC.

Thank you Netgalley for the early read!

Rosie received a heart transplant and got to connect with the husband of her donor, sweet? Not so much. When people accuse him of killing his wife, Rosie puts herself in charge of investigation and finds trouble along the way..

I was not prepared for the twists and turns that this book had!

I read a book eerily similar to this recently and so I had a slight struggle keeping them straight. I really enjoy Ms. Collins writing style and so the book was really well done for me. The beginning was really spectacular though and had me not wanting to put this down. Rosie was crazy, but a fun crazy and I really enjoyed her as a character.

Rosie gets a heart transplant and starts corresponding with the husband of her donor. She believes that fate has brought them together and forms an obsession with him. Unhinged af. Rosie is really unlikable at times and she definitely had her "Rosie colored glasses on"

I wasn't sure what to expect from a thriller revolving around a heart transplant but this was entertaining. I loved the ending. She's crazy.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the e-arc.

This was an interesting book. I'm just going to say it, maybe I wasn't paying enough attention, but the first half was good, then the second half threw me....like I missed something. Either way, it was a really good story. I really enjoyed Rosie, flawed as she was, just like the rest of us. Good, easy read.
Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and author for the chance to read this ARC.

I absolutely loved the premise of this book and the first 80%! The big twist was epic and I did not see it coming. The last 20% felt rushed and a bit disconnected from the writing quality of the majority of the book, which influenced my overall feelings a bit. The email format of the book was a fun POV switch up and kept the book very engaging. For thriller lovers who like plots to be a bit deeper and more meaningful!

Wow! Another fantastic read by Megan Collins. This one starts with a bang and just never lets up. Great cast of characters that kept me flipping pages long into the night. Dark and creepy and I totally enjoyed it.
Thank you NetGalley, Megan Collins and Atria Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

What great concept, that tagline about having his dead wife’s heart was enough to grab my attention and what follows was even better than that somehow. It immediately hooked me as Rosie starts emailing with Morgan, it was like a train wreck I couldn’t look away from. Rosie comes off as slightly unhinged immediately but you can’t help but feel for her, she had a heart transplant AND was dumped in her wedding dress so I just went with her crazy. Plus, an unhinged character is always an interesting character to me and Rosie was downright fascinating. I don’t wanna say too much more about the plot because there were some seriously delicious and wild turns here but if you like sound of this try it because I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

3.5 - this one definitely surprised me, and I love that!! Unfortunately, aside from the twist, this felt like more of the same. Rosie is obsessed with finding love after a big break-up and who better to try and connect with than your organ donor’s husband?

The premise is fun and the twists were successful, I just found the parts in between and after to fall a little flat. I felt like we were repeating the same things over and over and it was really being pushed on us hard to suspect different people at different points.

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This novel delivers an intriguing premise with plenty of emotional weight, though its execution sometimes feels uneven. Rosie Lachlan’s story—rooted in heartbreak, recovery, and a search for love—is compelling, and the heart transplant adds a unique layer of tension to her character. Her correspondence with Morgan Thorne starts as a fascinating connection but occasionally veers into melodrama, which may not work for all readers.

The mystery surrounding Daphne Thorne’s death is engaging, and the twists keep the narrative moving, though some of the reveals feel predictable. Rosie’s belief that she and Morgan are destined to be together because of her new heart is an intriguing concept, but it sometimes feels underexplored, with more focus on her growing obsession than the ethical or emotional implications of her actions.

The pacing is somewhat inconsistent, with moments of gripping suspense interspersed with sections that drag. While the story raises interesting questions about grief, identity, and love, it doesn’t always delve as deeply into these themes as it could. Still, the blend of romance and mystery makes for an entertaining read, even if it doesn’t fully satisfy.

Overall, it’s a solid read with some standout moments, but it falls just shy of its full potential.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Megan Collins is a must read author for me. Her books are highly entertaining and Cross My Heart is no different. Rosie received a heart transplant from a famous author’s wife and that is just the beginning. Filled with lots of twists, turns, and oh wow moments, Cross My Heart is a book that will satisfy both mystery and thriller readers a like.

This book was so good! I was glued to the pages from the very beginning. This one is best going into blindly. It's a wild ride with some major and shocking twists. I don't want to say much because I don't want to give any spoilers. Do yourself a favor and grab this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Played out nicely.
Although the killer end up being an obvious choice it was hid well and misdirected to plausible people.
Enjoyed the story and the question posed at the end of is Rosie really changing or reverting back to old love habits?

I rated this two stars because I could have forced myself to finish it, but I just couldn’t. I absolutely love the premise, but the writing got to me. It was written in such a way that I felt like I was back to watching 1990s Lifetime teen movies; cue the Tori Spelling love and danger drama trope.

Rosie Lachlan wants nothing more than to find The One.

A year after she was dumped in her wedding dress, she’s working at her parents’ bridal salon, anxious for a happy ending that can’t come soon enough. After receiving a life-saving heart transplant, Rosie knows her health is precious and precarious. She suspects her heart donor is Daphne Thorne, the wife of local celebrity author Morgan Thorne, who she begins messaging via an anonymous service called DonorConnect, ostensibly to learn more about Daphne. But Rosie has a secret: She’s convinced that now that she has his wife’s heart, she and Morgan are meant to be together.

As she and Morgan correspond, the pretense of avoiding personal details soon disappears, even if Rosie’s keeping some cards close to her chest. But as she digs deeper into Morgan’s previous marriage, she discovers disturbing rumors about the man she’s falling for. Could Morgan have had something to do with his late wife’s death? And can Rosie’s heart sustain another break—or is she next?

Love it. Will recommend to others.

Love!!! At first I thought I wouldn't like Rosie, but as the story and characters progressed, I was pleasantly surprised. It's is such a captivating read! The structure of the book and how the different parts were woven together make the book very unique. Thank you, NetGalley.

This is a wild concept- a woman who received a heart transplant becoming fixated on the husband of her heart donor. I truly did not know which of the characters was most unhinged while reading this. Every time I turned the page, another twist was waiting.

This book has very long chapters and a lot of long email correspondence between the characters that got a bit tedious at times. Overall, a good storyline that is definitely worth the read!

Oh, hey! This book slays! I was so hooked I couldn’t put it down. What starts as a rom-com quickly flips the script into a jaw-dropping thriller. 😱

After a heart transplant, Rosie Lachlan suspects her donor was Daphne Thorne, wife of author Morgan Thorne. Through DonorConnect, she begins messaging Morgan, convinced her new heart has tied their fates together. But as their connection deepens, disturbing rumors about Daphne’s death make Rosie wonder if she’s in over her head—or in real danger.

This was such a unique thriller! Rosie’s slow descent into obsession keeps you constantly second-guessing everyone. With twists, red herrings, and unreliable narrators, it’s a total and complete rollercoaster. I especially loved the email and text exchanges sprinkled throughout—such a clever touch! A beautiful, fever-dream of a story that will keep you up all night. You NEED this book when it drops in January!

As if I couldn’t love Megan Collins anymore?! She writes this. This one had my head spinning and I thought I knew what was happening but I was so wrong. Any type of obsession trope always keeps me hooked.

I felt for Rosie and she also pissed me off. I wanted to take her “Rosie colored glasses” and run them over with my car LOL All the references to Swift and Friends were on point and so smart. We all know how the Swifies ban hee hee This was extremely entertaining and so much fun. I loved it. Thank you so much to @atriabooks and @netgalley for my advance copy! Add this to your list.