This literary fiction novel got me hooked right from the start! The way this author brought the story to life with the way she writes was extraordinary! To me, this is the definition of literary perfection! I felt the dynamics of love in this book, along with the very descriptive imagery. This is the first book that I have read by this author and it simply blew me away! It is about love, loss, grief, friendship, acceptance, control, compassion, ambition and choices! It is beautifully written, captivating and really looks at the complexities of love. I found the female main character to be lovable! This is written in the female main character’s point of view. Furthermore, It is written in three parts. This book may not be for everyone, but it was definitely for me! I am grateful to have found such a wonderful new author and book!

“Heart The Lover” centers around a young woman, who quickly gets nicknamed Jordan by two male students in her literature class. It is Jordan’s Senior year in college and she gets involved with these two boys on campus named Yash and Sam. These two boys are best friends and live together off campus. They start inviting Jordan over to their house and things start to become complex between these three characters. As the story unravels, the choices that were made between all of these three characters ultimately changes their lives forever. Overall, I give this a 5 out of 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Lily King and Grove Atlantic | Grove Press for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Content warnings include grief, trauma and the complexity of relationships.

This book is in the general adult literacy fiction genre. I think people that love reading literary fiction novels that explore the complexity of love and a triangle relationship would enjoy this one!

This book is expected to be published on October 7, 2025!

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Some novels don’t just tell a story — they unearth one you somehow already carry inside you. Heart the Lover is that kind of book: not loud, not showy, but deeply resonant, like a private echo in a room you once lived in.

Set against the academic stream of a New England campus, this novel follows Jordan, our perceptive, wry narrator, through a season of friendship, infatuation, and intellectual awakening. She meets Sam and Yash, two older students living in the borrowed home of a professor on sabbatical, and quickly gets pulled into their world. It's one of literary debates, card games, inside jokes, and emotional undercurrents.

Lily King writes not just with intelligence, but with tenderness — the kind that quietly sees you and holds your messiest emotions without judgment. I loved how the book captured the specific intensity of senior year: the sense of everything mattering too much and not enough all at once. There’s an ache in these pages — a nostalgia that I felt in my bones.

The structure unfolds like memory— and King resists the urge to tie everything into a neat bow. That restraint is what makes it so powerful. I felt every page, not because the plot was sensational, but because the emotional truth was.

By the end, I didn’t feel like I’d read about characters. I felt like I had been one of them, that I had been there the whole time. That’s the highest compliment I can give.

She is truly a magnificent writer and you are going to love this story #Groveatlantic #heartthelover #lilyking

Reading Lily King is a luxurious, mesmerizing, and immersive experience.

‘Heart the Lover’ is Literature at its finest. It’s also a lifetime of intricacies, pleasures and pains, love, hope and despair, all fleshed out on paper.

This book is certainly hard to depart with.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this captivating novel.

I'm immediately adding all of Lily King's books to my TBR. Her writing is captivating, and her story entertaining. I was lost in the pages and characters she crafted. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Lily King has impressed us once again with her latest release, “Heart The Lover.” In this captivating novel, she weaves a coming-of-age story that spans decades, exploring the complexities of ambition, creativity, relationship dynamics, and the evolving landscape of personal identity.

King's prose is both intimate and intellectual, while remaining relatable. Her wistful tone draws readers in, evoking a range of emotions and prompting us to reflect on our own journeys. If you enjoy authors like Sally Rooney, Coco Mellors, Alison Espach, or Claire Lombardo, this book is a must-read.

This profoundly moving story is sure to tug at your heartstrings and may even bring you to tears. Mark your calendars for its release in October—you won’t want to miss it! A heartfelt thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

For me, a perfect book that arrived at just the right time. 5 shining stars, streaming tears like the beautiful cover. I will buy this book for my forever shelf, but for now I am so grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance read for what is sure to be a big book this Fall.

I read this book totally blind and the joy was in experiencing the unfolding of the story, not knowing anything in advance. However I did read the publisher's summary afterwards and am pleased that nothing was revealed that would spoil the book.

The majority of the book takes place during the senior year of college for our female narrator who becomes friends with two male students who are housesitting for a beloved professor. Through these characters, we experience romance, a frantic card game (that I immediately Googled to see if it was real), an intense love story, friendships both fleeting and deep, wistful nostalgia - I didn't want to leave these characters.

This book is sure to be a favorite of mine for the year. I still need to read more of the author's backlist (I've only read Writers & Lovers) - I was happy to read in the publisher's note that she has had the same editor for all of her books so there is more to discover soon.