A beautifully written, emotional love story of two broken souls. Love the characters, Melody and Parker, both and the writing is full of emotions and painful reminders of their past. The struggles a person faces with traumatic and abusive past and the heartache after losing a loved one, all are written deeply and thoughtfully. The chemistry and angsty romance between Parker and Melody are off the charts. Just loved it. A heartworm ending makes it a perfect read. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

"I love you so much, Parker Denison. You. All of your scars, your shadows, and your perfect, perfect heart. I'm not giving up on you. Not now, not ever." 😭

- angsty, emotional romance
- grumpy (him) x sunshine (her)
- widowed fmc, tortured mmc
- baker x contractor
- hidden identities
- opposites attract
- check TWs
- 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
- dual pov

The Wrong Heart immediately grabs you. After reading only 10%, I had tears in my eyes, and my jaw was on the floor.

Parker and Melody's relationship is messy—one step forward and two steps back. While you could cut the tension with a knife, Parker struggles to let her in due to his past (as Melody says, he has the "emotional capacity of a spatula" 😅). He feels so conflicted because women have generally treated him poorly, but Melody seems to be the only one who breaks through his shell.

He's such a complex character, and you'll have complex feelings for him. I'm warning you now! But Jennifer writes his character in a way that you can't help but love him as he slowly lets her in and is vulnerable with her. His character growth and development are unlike anything you've read before. Also, don't get me started on his relationship with Owen. If that doesn't make you fall for him, I don't know what will!

Once again, Jennifer's writing and how she portrays Melody's grief is beautifully descriptive and relatable. The sunshine character struggles with the fact the first man to make her feel after her husband doesn't treat her as she deserves. But they work through it. Together and apart.

"There's a darkness inside of him that speaks to my light. He was right when he said I wanted to fix him because I do. My nurturing heart wants to glue his pieces back together until he's whole again."

While Jennifer weaves heartwarming moments, spice and banter into the story, it's juxtaposed with plot twists, heartbreak, and emotional moments galore. So hang in there and have tissues in reach as you embark on this emotional roller coaster. I promise there's a HEA. But also, keep the tissues handy for the epilogue because I may never be the same after reading it.

The Wrong Heart is one of those infinity-star books that altered my brain chemistry. What else can I say? Read the content warnings, and if it sounds like a book to you, I urge you to read it.

I’m blown away! This one hit every mark…emotional, angsty, and brimming with tension that leapt off the pages. The unexpected twist took me completely by surprise, elevating this beautifully tragic story of healing.

The writing is stunning, the emotions raw, and I couldn’t put it down. It broke me, pieced me back together… and then the epilogue, it needs to be experienced.

I am so conflicted with this one because it started out SO STRONG but I truly felt like if this were done a bit differently, I would've liked it a lot more.

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Ok. This felt a bit all over the place. Like, I just went through whiplash with this story not going to lie. The entire aspect is such a unique storyline.. I just don't think it was executed in a way I enjoyed. The beginning BROKE me and I truly felt like the rest of the story was going to be incredibly emotional but I just felt like it was all so "WHAT ARE THE ODDS" and so far fetched that I couldn't connect with the story.

This is definitely a depressing and dark read. There are some extremely dark topics in this but I didn't really get emotional and with topics like these, I normally do. Like I said, the beginning destroyed me and the words "I got your purse" will legit stay with me for the rest of my life.. but after the first couple of chapters - this story just didn't capture me the way I was hoping.

***check trigger warnings.

Another Jennifer Hartmann masterpiece? And by that I mean that I cried my eyes out, per usual. It's what she does to me every single time. The found family that Melody found was absolutely beautiful! It was everything that she needed. This book was truly heartbreaking but so unbelievably beautiful at the same time.

I will be buying this physically to annotate it because some of those quotes?? Stunning.

When Melody March’s world shatters, she’s left clinging to the thinnest thread to keep going. The first chapter is a gut-punch, setting the tone for the heartbreak that follows. Once full of light and warmth, Melody is now a shadow of herself. Enter Parker Denison—a man with his own baggage and a past steeped in trauma. At first, he’s cold, sharp tongued, and closed off, making it hard to like him, though he seems to dislike himself enough for the both of you.

Melody wears her emotions openly, while Parker hides behind walls so thick it feels impossible to break through. Their dynamic is messy and unpredictable, but they’re drawn to each other despite the chaos. Melody sees a man drowning, refusing a life raft, while Parker feels things he’s never let himself feel before. As much as he frustrates you, he’s a character you want to hug hard by the end.

Tropes and themes I loved:
💕Mental Health Representation
💕Grumpy x Sunshine
💕Hidden Identities
💕Hurt/Comfort

The writing flows beautifully, weaving a story of two broken souls whose jagged edges somehow fit together perfectly. There are raw, heart-wrenching moments handled with so much care, and the twist in the story caught me completely off guard—in the best way. It’s gripping, emotional, and unforgettable. Highly recommend if you’re ready to feel everything all at once.

I really wanted to love this and I definitely loved parts of it but it wasn't my favorite of her books.

Melody lost her husband in a horrible accident and his heart was donated to a stranger. She then finds this stranger's contact information and reaches out to him, starting a sort of pen pal situation. The story follows her as she ends up in a suicide prevention group where she meets Parker, who is battling his own demons. The work they both go through during the story was phenomenal and their healing journey was beautiful to witness.

The only reason why this wasn't my favorite was because I wasn't a huge fan of either main character. I didn't connect with either one and even found Parker insufferable sometimes to the point where I had to really try to root for him.

All in all, it was a good book with some very heavy topics and written beautifully...I just couldn't connect to it like I wanted to.

After losing her husband in a tragic accident, Melody’s world is thrown upside down. She is slowly grieving and to help her grieve, she finds an opportunity to email the man who received her late husband’s donated heart. Through the email exchanges, she finds herself opening up again and potentially finding a way to fall in love again. This book was so emotional and heartbreaking but also so well written that I could not put the book down! Parker is the complete opposite of Melody’s late husband but Melody finds herself drawn to him. I did not expect the plot twist at the end, it definitely hit me in my feels but I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

What to Expect:
Strangers to lovers
Pen pal romance
Grumpy x sunshine
Hurt x comfort

I loved this book. It was so emotional. In the beginning I had a hard time fully supporting the characters and their romance but they grew on me. I cried so many times. I haven’t read a romance quite like this before- it was so unique. Jennifer has a beautiful and impactful writing style. I wrote a full review post on my Bookstagram and have linked it below.

First and foremost, Jennifer Hartmann has quickly become one of my favorite romance authors. In this deeply moving story, she takes readers on an emotional and heart-wrenching journey, following two individuals as they struggle to navigate life and love while dealing with the complexities of grief. Hartmann's ability to capture the raw emotions of loss and healing is truly remarkable. The characters are beautifully written, each with their own personal battles and growth throughout the story. This book is a testament to love's power to heal, even in the darkest of times, and it will stay with you long after the final page.

An emotional heartfelt read which i really enjoyed. The characters were very likeable and a great style of writing.

Another great read from Jennifer Hartmann!

The angst in this romance just got to me. Sometimes you need a book like this that deals with grief and loss that goes along with the romance. You cant help but like Melody and Parker when you meet them. To see them both come to that moment that shows them that things are going to be ok was like a grip that held on and didn't let go.

Highly recommend reading this!

Jennifer Harrmann ripped my heart out again and tried to patch it back up to be as good as new. So emotional!

"When my husband died, he left my broken heart behind.
He left another heart behind, too—his."

Jennifer Hartman’s The Wrong Heart is an angst-filled contemporary romance that delves deep into the raw and unflinching realities of grief, loss, and healing. The story follows Melody, a widow whose world is shattered after the death of her husband. In her desperate quest for connection, she reaches out to the recipient of her husband’s heart—someone equally broken. What unfolds is a story that is as devastating as it is hopeful, exploring the jagged edges of pain and the possibility of finding solace in the most unexpected places.

This book is currently my favorite Jennifer Hartman book of the three I’ve read, but it’s not for the faint of heart. Hartman doesn’t shy away from heavy themes, including loss, self-harm, and suicide, so it won’t be for everyone. My stomach was in knots the entire time I read it. Hartman’s writing in this book is masterful—she creates experiences for her characters that are so vivid and emotional, I truly felt their pain, anguish, and even moments of fleeting happiness.

Despite its deeply emotional and grief-driven tone, the book is peppered with small moments of banter and lightness that bring some much-needed levity. The metaphors and recurring themes that Hartman weaves throughout the story are seamlessly tied together, adding layers of depth and beauty to an already powerful narrative. And yes, this book had me in tears—more than once. But that epilogue? Absolutely worth every tear.

If you’re a fan of Hartman’s ability to blend darkness with light, then The Wrong Heart is a must-read. It’s not for everyone, but if you are willing to embrace its heavy themes, it’s an unforgettable journey of loss and love that lingers long after the last page.

Exactly the type of heart wrenching romance you expect from Jennifer Hartmann. There’s lots of grief, struggling to find the purpose for living, and making connections through dark periods of life.

You can’t help but fall in love with both characters, and root for them to find their own happy ending together.

An emotional ride, and a great read!

4.25✨

Let me start by saying the hero wasn’t my usual type. I tend to gravitate toward golden retriever energy—soft, sweet, and just downright loveable. But somehow, this broody and complicated hero wormed his way into my heart. I have to give the author credit for doing such a great job of making us understand why he is the way he is.

The romance? So good! You can practically feel the tension simmering on every page. And when it finally bubbles over? Chef’s kiss. The banter between the main characters was top-tier, and their journey from guarded walls to vulnerability felt so real and rewarding.

This book hit hard in all the right ways, and I can’t wait to pick up more from this author. If you’re into emotional, heart wrenching romances, I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and BloomBooks for letting me enjoy this eARC. As always, all thoughts are my own.

Wow! My first JH novel and this was emotionally charged, angsty, tension filled, beautiful, and just perfection. There is nothing better than two broken individuals coming together through healing with delicious chemistry that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I cannot recommend this enough!

Once again Jennifer Hartmann writes another amazing book. The contemporary romance will break your heart and put it back together. I did not wanna put this down once I started.

Reading Melody & Parkers story was so beautiful and so raw and real. Some of the topics in the book can be triggering so please check all triggers before reading.

The story revolves around grief and the pain and despair that comes with it, no matter the reason. It shows how it can swallow you whole, and like moving sand can bury you alive.
But it also shows hope. It shows in a completly raw way how it can make you come alive with small things and gestures. How you can change and start to appreciate those moments that are worth living for. How precious it is to be seen.
In this book the author summarizes all those moments and feelings. The grief, the angst, pain and at the same time so much hope. The hope to stay in the past and at the same time the hope of something new.
The author has a way of making you really feel. And oh boy I felt so much in this book. I could relate through her words to these characters and felt my heart break a little but also felt them heal and being fix afterwords.
Yes, it revolves around some heavy subjects, but it is an amazing story.
I loved both characters. Melody by being just a little bit of what we all need: the good, the optimism, a little ray of sunshine even through her grief. And Parker, with all his fellings of unworthiness, social awkwardness and grumpiness but with such an good heart underneath. He definitely had the Right Heart.
They complemented each other and through their relationship we could see that not all our previous thoughts and preconceptions have to go as planed to find our happy place. They were all they never thought they wanted or needed, but ended up being all they really deserved.
It was an emotional ride that I only regret not having experienced sooner.

My first read of 2025 was not a strong start unfortunately.

I was very, very close to DNF'ing this book in the beginning but something told me to wait a little bit and give it a chance. Was it worth it? For a chunk of the story, yes. More towards the end? Not really, no. It kinda felt like eating a sandwich where you only really care about the interior, if that makes sense.

The characters at first were unbearable to read. I mean, I've read my fair share of depressed characters but holy Mac n' cheese balls, I couldn't stand those two. There was no thread to make me empathic for them in almost any moment of the story. I genuinely believe my main problem with the book was with the characters and now insufferable they were; I just couldn't stand reading some chapters at times.

And the end was...oh man, it just felt out of place. The last chapter felt more like an epilogue than the epilogue itself. It was a good epilogue, just not for this book I think.

I think I'm done sharing my not so good thoughts on this one. I will say the plot twist was good, I didn't expect that. So I guess not all bad stuff to be shared here.

(Free ARC from NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books | Bloom Books that I chose to review after reading - Cross-posted on Goodreads on January 6th, 2025)