I have no idea how I've gone this long without having read anything by Lily King. In Heart the Lover we follow three students: Sam, Yash, and Jordan (nicknamed after a character in The Great Gatsby). The novel is from Jordan's perspective throughout three distinct stages of her life as she navigates academia, philosophizing with her newfound friends, and love.

And let me tell you, I did not expect this to GUT me the way that it did. The dialogue throughout this was incredible and real, I yearned with them, I lost with them. As someone who does not cry at books, I cried with them the entirety of the last chapter.

I could go on for forever, but this is better when you go in blind, and now I have to go read everything King has ever written.

A massive thank you to Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for giving me early access to this hauntingly beautiful eARC. Look out for Heart the Lover on September 30th, 2025.

4.5
I was worried that this was going to be too much of a romance story … I don’t read those… but it definitely wasn’t.
This is the story of three college seniors … a literary love story, love triangle.. and friendship and literary pursuits.
It’s about the decisions we make in youth that affect the rest of your life…old regrets, unresolved losses in middle age.
This story is raw, tender, and honest and takes us through three decades of the narrator’s life.
Loved, loved, loved!

Publishing October 2025

Thank you to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for the ARC!

After waiting 3 years for a new Lily King book, you know it's going to be appropriately devastating in the best kind of way. 'Heart The Lover' tenderly explores both romantic love and friendships, heartbreak, and how those relationships evolve throughout our lives and shape them. I prefer not to give too much away, but just really glad I didn't finish reading this in public.

Very grateful I was lucky enough to receive an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

One of my favorite books of the year. I enjoyed the story and writing so much that I am reading another of Lily's books next. I describe Lily's style as smart, fun, and easy to read -- my ideal book. The realness and conflict of the characters pulled me in from the beginning. I enjoyed how the book follows the characters throughout a significant portion of their lives without skimping on building connection and stakes. It's one of those books where you naturally debate what you would do in the characters' situation. My heart was warm after finishing the book.

In Lily KIng's "Heart the Lover", Jordan, a college senior, becomes close with two classmates, Sam and Yash, while taking a 17th century literature seminar. As their friendship develops, the three enter into a complicated relationship that affects them in lasting ways. Years later, Jordan is brought back into contact with her past and must consider how those events shaped her life. The novel moves between past and present, tracing how youthful experiences can insinuate themselves into our future lives. King's writing is steady and observant, focusing on memory, relationships, and the quiet pull of unfinished stories. The structure resists conventional clarity; events unfold through a narrator who drifts between awareness and uncertainty, The narrator is referred to as Jordan by others - her actual name is never given, a subtle gesture towards ambiguity. Emotional restraint defines King's prose, yet the story evokes something deeply human and recognizable . Confusion emerges but not as a flaw but as truth that the events in life are not linear, but a shifting landscape of questions without easy answers. Lily KIng's story is both disarming, beautiful, sorrowful and quietly profound.

3.5 stars rounded up! We meet an unnamed narrator, nicknamed Jordan by her college friends Sam and Yash. Much of the story is set in college, where Jordan forms a deep intellectual bond with Sam and Yash. They thrive on each other's wit and insight, and romantic feelings begin to emerge as well. The story follows her through the rest of college, into early adulthood, and through key points in her life when the past begins to surface again.

The first half is a beautiful love story that captures the intensity and excitement of young romance. The second half provides a thoughtful counterpoint, exploring how people evolve over time and how the past continues to shape who we become.

This is a beautifully written novel that drew me in from the very beginning. The book explores what happens when things fall apart, but love, in some form, still lingers beneath it all. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Oh my heart, what a ride! This was an advance review copy, but people who will discover this upon publication are in for a treat, especially those who enjoyed Writers and Lovers. Just a note of caution: don’t plan to read this in public, because you won’t want to stop and then you’ll need tissues!

The narrator of Heart the Lover is unnamed, but her friends call her Jordan. Jordan is soon finishing college and she befriends two young men, Yash and Sam, who are best friends and living off campus, impressing her with their intellectual allusions. One woman and two men make up for complicated situations. The period is full of life-impacting decisions, and the book follows the impacts of those decisions decades later. There are definitely two atmospheres in the book, when we later reconnect with Jordan in her late 30s as a writer, happily-married wife and mother. I finished the book in tears, which is quite rare for me. I challenge anyone to finish the book unmoved or with a perfectly dry eye. I really don’t want to spoil anything, but the revelations at the end are heart-breaking.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. I received a free copy of this book for review consideration.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the early copy of this book.
I love Lily King. I’ve loved all her books. This one did not disappoint though I was worried when I read the description (it sounded boring!) - but it was anything but. I couldn’t put it down. Her character development was incredible, her writing is next level, the story telling- ah, so good. If you liked Writers and Lovers, you’ll like this. If you like Ann Patchett, you’ll like this. If you want to feel some next-level feelings and cry over a book, you’ll like this. Five enthusiastic stars.

“Heart the Lover” by Lily King

Lily King has a remarkable gift, her characters feel so vivid, they practically breathe on the page. The emotional depth she brings is extraordinary. This novel is soaked in nostalgia, tenderness, and a raw, honest look at the human condition.

What begins as a coming-of-age story quickly unfolds into something much deeper, a reflection on love, friendship, connection, and all the messiness in between. King’s writing is detailed and lyrical and every sentence feels intentional and beautifully crafted.

I cried real tears reading this book. I felt every word, every moment. The characters are incredibly well-developed … real, layered, frustrating, and lovable all at once.

Though it’s a short novel, not a single word is wasted. I especially loved the literary references, particularly the subtle threads connecting it to “The Great Gatsby”.

If you’re in the mood for a deeply emotional, beautifully written page-turner that you can read in one sitting, “Heart the Lover” is it.

Already looking forward to picking up “The Father of the Rain” in a couple of weeks.

Heart the Lover is the new book from Lily King, the author of Writers and Lovers and Euphoria, and I was happy to receive an advanced copy to read. It is a story of a love triangle (sort of ) in college and way beyond of two best friends, Sam and Yash who both love Jordan at the same and different times.
The first part of the book takes place in college and is complicated and naïve and sweet as young love usually is, and the second part fast forwards to everyone’s lives in their 30s and how they overlap and keep in touch.
Lily King is a beautiful writer and this is a great story, I highly recommend it. Heart the Lover comes out in October of 2025 and would be a good pick for a book club. Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for this early review copy.

This is a story in two parts: The narrator's time as a young woman at college and her time with two male students, their friendship and romantic entanglement, followed by a time jump showing the reverberation of this love and the characters' choices.
The first part beautifully drew the three main characters and pulled me in and I wanted to step into their experience of being young & college, strong friendships with inside jokes, and discussing literature. The second part was emotionally heavier. While I felt very connected to the characters in the first part, the time jump forward in the second part felt a bit jarring and I couldn't fully reconnect to them, and I wished for more depth for the newly introduced characters.
Nevertheless, the writing is as strong as you would expect from Lily King, and I found this engaging throughout without being bored despite the relative plot-less-ness because the main characters shine and their relationships are emotionally engrossing.

This was really beautiful!! If you liked normal people’s writing style, this kind of reminded me of it. The plot was a lot deeper and more beautiful. It was deeply complex and sooo well written. I thought it was realistic and heartfelt and heartbreaking. Truly an amazing read! I read it in a day!

I have previously enjoyed Lily King's books and loved this one too. I finished reading in one day and couldn't put it down. In our narrator's senior year of college she meets two friends, Sam and Yash in a literature class. Impressed with their intellect and friendship, she gets pulled into their circle and starts dating Sam. This a coming of age story that takes place first as they are all finishing up college, then later on in life they all reconnect again as adults. Beautiful sentences and a character driven story. Will be recommending to anyone who enjoys Sally Rooney and King's other books.

Having adored King's previous novel, Writers & Lovers, I was eager to read her latest, a sequel of sorts. I enjoyed once more being in King's world, where scenes are rendered with such carefully selected details, and where her fine sensitivity to the way people interact is constantly on display. The first section in 1989 Chapel Hill comes with a soundtrack, sort of: so many songs from that era are cited. It's a slow build to a emotional crescendo. A bigger book than Writers & Lovers in some ways, it is also a touch less original, which detracts not a bit from one's enjoyment in reading it.

The love triangle had me hooked from the start but then it all went a little down hill from there. At times I couldn’t remember what the point was & I also couldn’t quite get on board with the style of writing. There is so much telling & not a lot of showing. I was irked at times by us not knowing the narrators name & the guys calling her a book characters name came off so condescending to me. The very last sentence wrapped up the name very nicely but the ending as a whole left a whole lot to the imagination. Overall I enjoyed this book but I believe it’s going to be one of those that is very polarizing.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

This book was very confusing. Part I was excellent -- great characters. Part II fine, but edging towards saccharine and then phew boy, Part III went full on soap opera. No spoilers, but my god! I found characters to behave very unbelivably in the last act and some of their actions made me furious. Oddly sentimental and emotionally manipulative. Not sure AT ALL what the point was.

Decent writing. Loved Lily King's Euphoria, but have disappointed by all her stuff since.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is my new favorite Lily King book! I'm sure the book will stay with me for a long time. I just finished it and I don't want it to end! The story starts while the main characters are in college. The main character is a creative Writing major who goes by the name Jordan, but she has various nicknames throughout the book. She meets Sam in one of her classes and through Sam meets his 2 roommates as they are staying at one of their professors houses while he is away. Her relationships with them deepen and they become inseparable. The relationships last throughout many periods of her life. The book is divided into. Parts and each part advances the story by many years. So you get to see the changes these characters go through and their changing relationship with 'Jordan."

I experienced a full range of emotions as I got involved with the characters. They are so real that you think you know them in real life. There are many life lessons that can be drawn through the story ranging from friendships that turn into more than that, all the way to what happens after death. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to Grove Atlantic, Net Galley and of course Lily King! Don't miss this one!

I read this book with sheer delight. It is about people as they come and go, the joy of friendship and the many phases of life, sorrow and pain, love and death, and everything in between. In between crying my eyes out, I couldn’t get enough of the dry humor. I want everyone I know and everyone I don’t know to read it, to let the immersive language do its’ magic, become engaged with these charming characters as they bond with each other as college students.

With ease, King has captured both humor and heartache while tracing forbidden love. With an observant eye, she’s created intimate portraits of an unnamed protagonist, aka Jordan, along with Yash, and Sam. She’s a writer’s writer and a reader's writer; sharing her love and knowledge of literature with abundance.

Thanks to witty dialogue, I grinned so often and maintained those grins for good stretches, I'm convinced I have new smile lines. Imagine an atmosphere that gives these knowledge-thirsty young adults a sense they’re breathing in literature by osmosis straight from the privileged air of their absent professor’s floor-to-ceiling book-filled home as they attempt to leave family angst behind, have fun playing made-up games (the equivalent of inside jokes), toss around endearing nicknames for each other and friend’s kids who are like family.

A huge thanks to Grove Atlantic for this ARC and to Lily King for writing this beautiful book that has a special place in my book-loving heart.

Words can't describe how much I loved this book. This is everything and more. I think this is my favorite Lily King book!

I will be sharing a review and recommendation publicly on my Substack as pub date approaches. But wow. This is up there with some of the best writing I've ever experienced in terms of immersing me in the love story between characters. I felt their connections so deeply, the joy and the pain. It's going to take me a while to recover from the ending, that's for sure. My favorite Lily King and will be in my "best of the year" list.