‘It was gorgeous and tender. Everything in it is working toward this mood, this ache, this very tactile sensation that gets deep in your bones.”

This book actually wrecked me.

Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Where to begin?

Heart the Lover plays with form, time and perspective to give the reader a story which is, ultimately, about where we put all of the love we have for those who may no longer be in our lives.

Though technically a (sneaky) companion novel to Writers & Lovers, you don’t need to have read it to fall for this one.

There are three parts to the story, each navigating a different period of time in the narrator’s life, where she comes into contact with someone she loves.

It’s funny, honest, brave, and a million other things you always hope a book will be when you pick it up. I really, really loved it.

In this literary fiction novel, Lily King masterfully takes the reader through three times in the female protagonist’s life. I appreciated the characters, how emotions were conveyed, the pace, references to literature, and the book’s structure. I am not sure if I’ve read anything quite like this - it is just brilliant.

I read Writers and Lovers earlier this year, and while some suggest reading that first is unnecessary, it greatly enriched my reading experience. Heart the Lover is a fine standalone novel, of course, but readers may benefit greatly by reading Writers and Lovers before Heart the Lover.

Thank you Grove Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

Literary fiction at its finest…cerebral, character-driven, and exquisitely written. An atmospheric, time-spanning tale of love, friendship, and heartbreak, anchored by unforgettable characters. And in the very last paragraph, you’ll learn her name.

**Thank you Grove Atlantic for providing this ARC via NetGalley!**

Heart the Lover pulled me in from its very first lines. “You knew I’d write a book about you someday… For me it begins here. Like this.” That opening set the tone for one of my favorite reads of the year. Lily King’s writing has always been a draw for me and this was no exception. The prose is melancholic in the best way, and the characters are flawed, but that is exactly the point. This is a story about grief and the complexities of relationships, especially the tender and volatile nature of first love.

There is love, there is loss, and there are moments that feel like they could break you in half. The novel moves through the depth of friendship, the pull between creative life and romantic devotion, and the lingering impact of choices made in youth. This captures the way first love burns bright and stays with you, even as time and circumstance change everything around it.

I was struck by how she balances nostalgia and regret, how she allows the characters to be messy and human, and how the story still leaves space for hope. The final page left me with a mix of devastation and contentment, the kind that lingers long after you close the book.

I don’t read a lot of literary fiction, but new-to-me author Lily King has made me question my life choices!

For those navigating their young adult lives or those who now have the benefit of hindsight into the choices they made in those vulnerable years, this story may resonate. It did for me. Suddenly I was back in my college days when life revolved around my friends, classes, work and contemplating my future. For me, that included who I would spend it with.

Our unnamed narrator is a creative writing major who is befriended by two astute young intellectuals, Sam and Yash, in one of her literature classes. They quickly adopt her into their small circle, sometimes as “Daisy” and other times as “Jordan”, and soon she’s spending more time at the professor’s home they’re housesitting than she does at her own place. As might be predicted, when three people are so close, things can get complicated and they definitely do.

The story unfolds in three parts with no chapters, but rather segments of the story, so you can still easily pause at certain points and not lose the thread. You see the narrator at three different points in her life: college, then two later points in the future.

I don’t want to say too much more, because it’s more impactful to let it unfold and surprise you, as it did me. I’ll only say that it was in turns tender, frustrating, relatable, gentle, funny and at times simply heartbreaking. To call this a romance would be a disservice to the book. Yes, there is romance and yes, it plays a major role in the story, but that’s not really the point of the book.

This story looks at the choices we make when we’re young and how they impact us, in both good and bad ways, for the rest of our lives. On the positive side, there’s the thrill of falling in love, setting goals for the future, the freedom and exploration of youth, and the joys of chasing your dreams. On the flip side, it also shows the impact of family dysfunction, ambition, youthful zeal, regret, grief, and loss.

My only complaints are minor. First, there was a little too much going on in the denouement, with too many characters distracting from the emotional impact, and second, I’m really not loving that cover. It doesn’t fit the emotional tone of the book with the bright colors and hippie-looking eyes. This is a melancholy book and only the tears on the cover suggest that. It’s a me thing.

This is a story that lifted me up and broke me down, but I loved it because that’s life in a nutshell, isn’t it? Joy and sorrow are the seasoning that gives this life flavor, and this book captured it so beautifully. Also, the ending? *Chef’s kiss* It’s not a neat bow, but it’s real and I appreciate that.

I highly recommend this!


★★★★ ½

Wow.

I love Lily King's writing. Her novel 'Writers & Lovers' is one of my all-time favorite book.

Her strong writing continues to show through this novel, which kept me reading quickly, but this story was heavy with sadness and grief.

A sort of character study on three friends Yash, Sam, and "Jordan," that begins in college and follows them into adulthood. The characters are beautiful but flawed, and that is not shied away from.

This book is messy, and heartbreaking. I found myself angry for the protagonist at times, as well follow her most closely.

I highlighted beautiful passages.

I don’t know if I will re read this, honestly, mostly due to the grief. But it sure is beautiful.

*Heart the Lover* by Lily King is a beautifully crafted, emotionally rich novel that pulls you right into the characters’ inner worlds. King’s writing is sharp yet tender, with a way of capturing those fleeting, complicated moments that make relationships feel so real. The story unfolds with a quiet intensity, layering in humor, longing, and vulnerability in a way that feels both intimate and universal.

What I loved most is how the book balances emotional depth with such elegant storytelling—you find yourself savoring sentences while also wanting to see what happens next. It’s reflective without being slow, romantic without being predictable, and full of those small, human truths that stay with you long after you close the book.

I don't cry with books. I'm a tough nut to crack. But this book GOT ME. I read it all in one day which is a fairly unusual occurrance. But I zoomed through it, stopping to tell people about the book when a sentence particularly got me. Then I cried. And cried. And cried some more. The characters were so well-developed. Yash, of course, is my favorite-- he's everyone's favorite. Anyway. What a book! I'm going to buy a copy for my personal library when it comes out.

5 star. 5 star. 5 star.

Beautiful. Breathtaking. Loving. Emotional.
Those last 20 pages had me weeping remembering my own past and connections.

my favorite line in the book hit in all the right places: "A great novel, a truly great one , not only captures a particular fictional experience, it alters and intensifies the way you experience your own life while you’re reading it. And it preserves it, like a time capsule."

I love this book.

Thank you netgalley.com for this ARC. Amazing. A must read.

Lily King is a literary great. I loved every book I've read of hers, and Heart the Lover is no exception. King's exploration of complex relationships and the philosophical questions this brings to the surface for both the characters and the reader is profound.

In her senior year of college, Jordan meets Sam and Yash in a literature class. They are the standouts—brilliant debaters, widely read, and living in an old house belonging to a professor on sabbatical. Both are handsome and intimidating, their intellect and broad language matched only by their confidence. With Sam, the physical chemistry is immediate and overwhelming, complicated by his religious vow to wait until marriage. The three spend countless evenings playing cards, dissecting literature, and bantering with the ease of childhood friends. Initially nicknaming her “Daisy” (after Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby) they switch to “Jordan” when they learn she began college on a golf scholarship—a nod to Jordan Baker, Daisy’s friend in the novel. Jordan’s relationship with Sam is an intense, on-again, off-again storm of emotion. But as graduation rolls around, it is Yash who captures her heart. Together, they make choices that alter the course of their lives forever. Told in two parts—Jordan as a young woman and later as a wife and mother—this emotional rollercoaster unfolds in breathtaking prose that captures the essence of young love. A deceptively simple story, told with such beauty and grace that it lingers long after the final page. The writing is passionate, sophisticated, and so immersive I could not put it down.

I happened upon Writers and Lovers a few years ago and loved Lily King’s writing style so I was excited to see Heart the Lover come up on my feed and instantly added it to my TBR pile.

For me, this book perfectly captured the innocence of college life, the sense of coming of age, and the feeling that the world is filled with possibilities. Evolving as the narrator ages, it homes in on themes of love, loss, grief and forgiveness experienced across time.

I loved the structure of this book, written as a novel about her own life, the story unfolds in three parts following the characters as they weave in and out of each other’s lives. Though it’s told solely from the female narrator’s perspective, the supporting characters are nuanced and well-developed. From start to finish, I found this novel deeply satisfying. Despite the pretentious young students they are in part one, the writing itself remained refreshingly unpretentious - a feat for a literary fiction rooted in the literary world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing me with a digital ARC for review.

Such a strong book from an established author. The subject matter, usually treated lightly and able to be dismissed, is given weight and intelligence, with exquisite pacing and structure. College life has rarely been described so vividly, with the central characters displaying potent perception through well thought-out conversation and realistic execution. Liked this a lot.,

This is my first Lily King novel and I was absolutely blown away! I'm not sure how to even describe what I've just read. In this story, our main character, whom we only know by her nickname, "Jordan," is now a published and well known author. She's writing her side of the love triangle and story that took over her senior in college and changed her life. I was hooked from the opening line..."You knew I'd write a book about you someday."

Love, heartbreak, grief, laughs, tears and writing that is both smart and keeps the pages turning quickly are all included here! Definitely pick this up. It will be available Oct 7, 2025.

Thank you to Grove Atlantic for the ARC!

Lily King's writing is exquisite. I thought the final section here felt a bit choppy with the jumps forward in time, but this book packs an emotional punch.

Heart the Lover is a beautiful story that explores the complexity of love and attraction, what draws us together and keeps us apart.
Smart and sensitive, this is vintage Lily King!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book. It took my awhile to get into this but then after part I I was hooked. I have many questions but overall enjoyed this book. I’m sure I’ll have more to say later about this one.

I am not ok. I finished this book last week and I think my eyes are finally starting to look normal again after being puffy from sobbing. This book is something really special.

This story made me nostalgic for my own college years and a bit anxious for what lies ahead for my college aged son. The story felt so real and true to me. I remember the pretentious literary discussions, the late into the night conversations, the deep all or nothing feelings, the fear to move forward and the regret to stay unchanged.

This is a love triangle between best friends. This story is evidence of how choices we make early in life affect us later. This is a love story - romantic love, literary love, friendship love.

The nods to Gatsby only made me love this more.

All the stars to this beautiful book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Our narrator meets two roommates, Sam and Yash in college and finds herself in a charged triangle.

I was totally not expecting how this ended up. It was a lot deeper than I was expecting. Sometimes short relationships when we are young can have so much of an effect and this story shows that. I enjoyed the later years more, as they were meaningful and added depth to the earlier years.

Heart the Lover comes out 9/30.