The Wrong Heart by Jennifer Hartmann
4.5 stars

Is it a surprise to anyone when Hartmann brings out yet another book that absolutely blows you away? No, it really shouldn’t be.

Let me tell you, you are not ready for the emotional outbursts you will receive when reading this book. You’ll cry, you’ll laugh, you’ll be angry, you’ll be happy. You will be hit with every single emotion known to mankind, and if you are having a rough time with real life at the moment, this is the book to read to help sort you out. You will thank me for it.

Characters - Melody and Parker. Together it is very grumpy X sunshine, and I am here for it! I wont lie, Melody's story absolutely broke my heart into a thousand pieces and utterly destroyed me. I felt her pain as she felt it and it was just so amazingly portrayed. But when both our characters come together you get the glance at what could be a HEA. No spoilers from me though, read it yourself!

It’s not even an exaggeration to say this book is absolutely worth the read, just like every single Hartmann book. She is a beautiful write with fantastic descriptions and she brings dark romance out in a whole new light. It’s just incredible.

3.5 ☆ this was quite emotionally heavy… with topics of suicide, grief, abuse, and more. in some ways i felt like there was a lot happening, but at the same time it was slow and dragging. a really big part of this story was a back and forth between parker being an asshole to melody and pointing out how much she smiles, and her giving him cupcakes and trying to figure him out. they were both going through something so internally deep and traumatizing, so i understand the cycle and push and pull that they had to go through to get to each other. i will say that jennifer hartmann truly is a mastermind when i comes to creating broken characters. i could feel the pain that they were both going through. even the side characters were well thought out. i felt so sad for amelia… however, the ending was beautiful and i’m so happy they both turned out okay.

5 stars all the way!! This was such a beautiful story!! I love the deeper messages Jennifer Hartmann weaves into her stories. Two broken hearts who saved each other ❤️. Beautiful!! Thank you netgalley for the chance to read and review this one.

My goodness… this book. Jennifer Hartmann knows how to reel you in with all the emotions. This was a such beautiful story. There many so many emotions in this story. So much trauma, tears, love, and grief. This story had it all. Two lost souls find love as well as life after terrible experiencing trauma.

(Please read the trigger warnings before reading.)

Thank you to the publisher & Jenniffer Hartmann for the opportunity!

Jennifer Hartmann is the Queen of trauma bond relationships.
The situation between Melody and Parker has just enough build up and background. I love grumpy/sunshine and while Parker is the epitome of grumpy, it never seems annoying or overdone. As the two work through their pasts and break down walls, you get to see the beautiful growth. Their opposites attract balance is perfect.

Melody Parker is facing a great deal of heartache after losing the love of her life to a mugging + car accident. After attempting to unalive herself she finds herself at a support group for people who are in the same situation as her. This is where she meets Parker. Parker isn't one for words and definitely doesn't want to talk to Melody. But as time goes on they form a tentative bond. When Melody wants to take things further - is Parker willing to trust her?

The synopsis of The Wrong Heart totally hooked me in and I immediately picked up my first book by Jennifer Hartmann. This can be a difficult book to read so definitely check out the trigger warning before picking up this book. I liked the first half of the book. The epistolary aspects of the book added another dimension to these characters. But I wanted more chemistry between Parker and Melody. I feel like I had a slower time with the second half of the book and I kind of lost interest in these characters.

As always Jennifer Hartmann knows how to write an amazing book. When reading always make sure to check the trigger warnings. When reading books written by Jennifer you see how she captures and brings to life these heart wrenching and heartbreaking topics and situations. The Wrong Heart is the perfect example of her doing this. The story of Parker and Melody is written so well. You feel like you are there with them because of how well it is written. This story is so heart touching and such a good read. I would recommend this book to so many people. This read is such an emotional reading rollercoaster that brings you all the feelings!

I love Jennifer Hartman books so I was thrilled to get a chance to read this. This book was beautifully written. It captured so many components of loss and grief.

There multiple layers to this story that unfolded so well every time you turned the page. The side characters were also very well written. This book captured me immediately and hit me with all the feels.

Jennifer Hartmann bravely navigates the tumultuous landscape of grief, love, and the intersections of loss that shape our identities. With striking prose and deeply nuanced characters, Hartmann explores how two broken souls, Melody and Parker, traverse the difficult paths of rebuilding their lives in the aftermath of tragedy.
Melody March, whose life seemed like a fairy-tale until the fateful moment on her five-year wedding anniversary, embodies the struggle of a woman grappling with unending grief. After her husband's untimely death, she discovers that the heart that continues to beat in someone else’s chest carries with it an echo of her past. With the juxtaposition of loss and hope, Hartmann effectively illustrates the ways in which Melody seeks solace—not just in remembering her husband, but by seeking a connection with Parker, the heart recipient. This journey through a support group for fellow grieving souls adds depth to the narrative, revealing a community that is beautifully flawed and achingly real.
Parker emerges as a compelling character whose darkness serves as a stark counterbalance to Melody's light. Initially cloaked in emotional detachment, his complexity adds intrigue to the storyline. It will draw you into the duo's unlikely bond as they delve deeper into each other's wounds, revealing how opposites can attract in the most unexpected ways.
Hartmann's writing is poignant and evocative, capturing the raw emotions of both love and loss with a deft hand. The use of contrasting imagery—light and dark, hope and despair—effectively accentuates the central themes of the story.
Overall, The Wrong Heart is not just a tale of love found amidst loss but is a profound exploration of healing and self-discovery. It will resonate with anyone who has navigated the complexities of grief and the fragility of human connections. It's a story about the power of love to heal—and the danger of holding onto secrets—The Wrong Heart is a must-read for anyone seeking a poignant and heart-wrenching literary experience.

A phenomenal yet heartbreaking novel! There were so many surprises and emotional moments that my heart was pounding while reading. I loved the author’s ability to create such an intricate story and wonderfully complex characters while taking the reader on an incredible journey.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a truly beautiful story. The emotions, the tears, the love, the grief—all of it wove together to form an unforgettable tale of two lost souls who found love as well as life after such terrible trauma. 5 amazing stars! ✨ This is a new to me author, and I am definitely excited to read future books of hers! ❤️

Thank you for this. I love Jennifer Hartmann so much, she has such a way with story telling that always has me feeling all the feelings and sobbing uncontrollably. this one was beautiful ❤️

I read this book in one day. What does that tell you? It was fucking good. It kept my eyes watery the entire fucking book but still amazing.

Parker is one of my favorite MMCs. He’s so damaged and broken, doesn’t have anything to live for. As much as I love Melody in this book, and was invested in her story after losing her husband, Parker is what kept me turning the pages. He hit me in the gut and the feels so hard and so much throughout this book.

“All broken things can be fixed. The hard part is deciding that they’re worth fixing.”

This book is to die for if you haven’t read it, please do it. I’m so blessed to be able to read this. Jennifer Hartman has really amazing books.

Jennifer Hartmann made me fall in love with these characters then broke my heart into a million pieces in just chapter one. More than 50% of this book was read behind tears! Very angsty and emotional but also hopeful. Jennifer Hartmann writes beautifully heartbreaking stories.

Please check triggers, touches sensitive issues.

This is a story of two broken souls, broken in very different ways and a journey of healing. Melody has loved and lost (husband died in an accident), Parker is lost (childhood trauma) and never been in love. The two meet in a support group and find that fractured or broken, everyone is worth fixing.

Heartbreaking💔, heartwarming ❤️

This was such an incredibly raw, beautiful written and captivating story. Jennifer Hartmann sure knows how to pull at my heartstrings, but as with the other stories I have read by her, the strong emotional reactions are so worth it by the end. My heart just absolutely ached for both Melody and Parker throughout this entire story. I wanted their happily ever afters so freaking badly.
I don’t want to give anything away so I am going to leave this review with this, please check the content warnings before beginning this read. There are many emotionally heavy, tough topics discussed within the pages.

Oh my goodness...

I truly don't think I have enough words to adequately describe my feelings for this book; nothing I say could do it justice.

Melody and Parker's story is special. Jennifer Hartmann has created something so heartbreakingly beautiful; I never wanted it to end. THE WRONG HEART is an emotional rollercoaster which will have you hooked from the first page to the very last.

Always love this author's work and this was no exception! This is a story full of all the feels and will break your heart but also put it back together. There is a twist at the end that I didn't see coming, but was a nice addition to the story.

The Queen of Harts does it again. This book is full of angst, trauma, heartbreak, and healing. It’ll leave you emotionally raw and reeling before taking the shattered pieces and tenderly putting them back together.
Even in the moments of grief I knew were coming, the story was so beautifully written that I couldn’t put it down. Check the trigger warnings before reading as the book has some incredibly heavy and difficult topics, however the growth and healing between Parker and Melody was a bittersweet journey and, in my opinion, an absolute must read!