A moving love story of first loves, regrets and how life has many twists and turns that take you on roads you did not plan on taking.

This story begins with our unnamed narrator in college studying to be a writer when she meets two boys and immediately falls in love with one of them though finding herself longing for the other. Through their college experience and beyond, you see how their love and mistakes take their lives in different directions but eventually brings all three characters back to each other.

This was a well-written story, but I always feel that Lily King’s characters do not have hope in their lives and they are always looking back. I was pleasantly surprised by the last page, so kudos to you, Lily King. That was ingenious.

Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley #HeartTheLover www.groveatlantic.com

Romantic and emotional. This books stays with you. Still thinking about it. Love, memories and more.

Thanks for NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

4.25/5 rounded down. I remember really loving Writers & Lovers (read when it came out), so I was super excited for this one. For the most part, my expectations were met. The characters feel well-rounded, the pacing is good, and the writing is lovely. My only issue is that in the middle of the book, it switches to second person which I personally dislike. Also, some of the dialogue throughout was confusing as to who was speaking (it was lines of dialogue after each other without a clear signifier of who started the conversation). Those points aside, this was a well-written, emotional book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book so fast, I just could not put it down.

It is so refreshing to find a writer who clearly knows what they are doing ; I cared so much for the characters and the story, and the pacing seemed just right to me. I did not get all the answers, yet it felt so satisfying.

I also love the themes of writing and love that Lily King is now known for. The book smartly explores the thought that even though people love each other, they might not be a good match, yet can manage to show up in their own way.

This was my first Lily King book, and I didn't think I was going to like it based on the first few chapters.

King's writing isn't the lyrical, immersive style I love; it's direct and abrupt, jumping timelines and playing with perspectives. This book is character-driven, with flawed protagonists and three narrative sections. For the majority of my reading experience, I didn't think I was enjoying the novel. 

Yet...

...somehow I ended up sobbing hysterically over those characters during the last few chapters of the book. 

At some point, I fell deeper into the story than I realized, and I was mesmerized by the ending.  

I definitely recommend this for fans of literary fiction. Readers who prefer more easily digestible stories may not enjoy it as much, but it's a great pick if you're in the mood to try something new!

A new novel from Lily King will always be something I celebrate and Heart the Lover did not disappoint. It is split into three time periods that charts the relationship between three individuals. We meet a college senior and aspiring writer who is impressed with two students in one of her literature courses- Sam and Yash. They nick name her Jordan, which stick over the course of their time together. Things get complicated as feelings emerge, are crushed, jealousy ensues, etc over the subsequent months.

The book jumps ahead several years and Jordan, an established writer receives an unexpected visitor from the past. This short section mostly serves as a short jumping off point to focus on the longer third section of the book multiple years further into the future. I do not want to spoil anything, but the emotional charge between Jordan, Sam, and Yash remain. The relationships are written so well and I found myself thoroughly invested in their story. Another win for King. Run out and buy/borrow this one. I know I'll be adding it to my collection.

Thank you to Grove Press via NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.

I was excited to read this book, as I loved Lily King's Writers and Lovers. The first half of Heart the Lover ("Part I") was even better....honestly, as good as anything I've read recently. It was really difficult to put down, and I found myself completely invested in the core trio of "Jordan," Sam and Yash and their changing dynamics. But Part II brought a narration change that I had a hard time adjusting to, and Part III introduced a jarring time/plot jump that I could not connect with. It almost felt like two different books to me. But my love for the first half made this a worthwhile read. Thank you so much to Netgalley for the Kindle edition ARC! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to learn the rules of Sir Hincomb Funnibuster....

Thank you NetGalley, Grove Press and Lily King for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of Heart the Lover.
This is a beautifully written, heart wrenching story of friendship, first love and a good portion of tragedy.
The characters are well developed and likable yet flawed. Because of their young age they make many judgement errors and have multiple regrets. We are all human and make mistakes even though we may be brilliant in other ways. This story is character driven and I found myself quite involved from start to finish.
There are some time periods in the characters’ lives that I wanted more details. A few pieces of the puzzle are missing which adds to the readers’ thoughts about possible outcomes. Great for discussion!
I enjoyed Writers and Lovers by Lily King and I look forward to more.

Heart the Lover by Lily King
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Isn’t love a form of hope?” I said.
“No. Love is crushing. Love is something you let yourself feel at your own peril, despite your better sense.”

This book completely swept me up. Lily King has such a gift for writing about the intensity of being young—when everything feels bigger, brighter, and more important than it probably is. We follow Jordan during her college years, when she falls into this thrilling friendship with Sam and Yash. The way King captures that time of life—the late nights, the big conversations, the awkward fumbling toward love—felt so nostalgic and real.

Then we jump forward, and the book becomes something softer and sadder, about looking back on the choices you made and the people who left permanent marks on you. I wasn’t ready for how emotional that shift would feel, but it gave the story so much depth.

The writing is gorgeous, as always with King. It’s one of those books that feels small in scope but manages to hit you right in the chest. A little bittersweet, very tender, and the kind of story that lingers.

If you liked Writers & Lovers, you’ll definitely love this one.


“You knew I’d write about you someday.”

This was such a stunning and devastating read. It was beautifully crafted, and the way it made me feel truly took me by surprise.

It follows Jordan from her college years through first love and heartbreak, and later into mid-life. I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, it’s best to go into the story blind.

I loved that this was a companion piece to Writers and Lovers, though I wouldn’t say you need to read that one first (although I would recommend it).

This story really moved me. When I started reading, I wasn’t expecting it to hit me the way it did. I really enjoyed Writers and Lovers and expected to love this in a similar way, but it reached an entirely different level. I read 80% of it on my flight home from Spain, and the way I was ugly crying on the plane says it all.

I just love Lily’s writing. I was able to truly feel what the characters were feeling, and I was completely immersed in the story. The character development was incredible, and the book as a whole was so emotional. I can’t believe a 253-page novel could hold so much depth and feeling—it truly blew me away.

No doubt this will end up on my list of top 10 reads of the year, and an overall favorite.

<i>'Isn't love a form of hope?' I said. 'No. Love is crushing.
Love is something you let yourself feel at your own peril, despite your better sense.'</i>

Story 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This was my first book by Lily King, so I wasn’t prepared to get my heart ripped out and to be absolutely devastated at the end?
Next time please warn me.
(Or I’m prepared now, because that’s definitely not my last book by this author)

It started as a little love story. When they kissed I even screamed into my pillow (I was so so happy for them!)
But then, confusion, sorrow, heart break.
Every feeling there is, all at once.
Lily is really a brilliant writer.

Character 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I wasn’t prepared for these difficult characters in all their ages going through time and age and life.

Did I like Jordan? Is it important if I like her or not? No. She was a nicely written character with thoughts and feelings. I loved how caring she was. Especially in the end.

I loved the young Yash. He was so full of life, funny and had so much knowledge in reading and writing. I loved how he gave Jordan stories, poems, books.
Everything that made him think of her.
So sweet and romantic.

Relationship 🌟🌟🌟🌟
I loved the whole academic setting in the beginning. That was definitely my favorite part (the happy part, you could say).

I loved the friendship, the found family, the house that became the center of everything.
How love can go through years and years and still feel so new, so fresh, so real.

My favorite relationship was definitely the one with Silas. He was understanding, caring and supportive. Even in situations where he could’ve acted otherwise.
Absolutely perfect.

Writing 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
My first book by Lily and I’m hooked. I can understand why her books are so loved.
I loved the separation in three parts, like a theater show - act 1, 2 and 3.
The writing was full of feeling and emotions. It was poetic in some way and I loved the little excerpts from other writings or poems.

I wish I had friends that would speak to me in writing, in book, in poems.
What a fascinating experience.

I finished this book two weeks ago, and I'm still obsessing over it. Oh my goodness, I loooooved this story. I know Heart the Lover won't be for everyone, but it was exactly the kind of literary fiction I love. If you don't love lit fic, you might not vibe with this one, but I highly recommend it if you do enjoy the genre or even just a good coming-of-age story. I will be thinking about Jordan and Vash for the longest time. Ahh. I loved it!

Lily King has been on my list of “wow authors” since Writers & Lovers, and Heart the Lover only cements her place there. What I loved most is how emotionally full the story feels—complex without being heavy, romantic but raw. Jordan’s entanglement with Sam and Yash in her senior year, and the way those choices echo decades later, is handled with both tenderness and sharp insight. The relationships are messy in the best way because they feel so real, and the late time jump at the end of the book surprised me but wrapped their love story beautifully.

It’s the rare novel that I tore through quickly but kept thinking about for days afterward. For readers who want literary fiction that still has heart and warmth, this is King at her finest.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This had all the trademarks I know and love in a Lily King book — a frank yet emotional narrative voice, sharp observation, realistic characters, and a literary, erudite bend. This book was a sort of slice of life or life study in retrospect. King, as always, does a phenomenal job of writing the complexities of relationships, whether they be familiar, platonic, or romantic. This book was bittersweet and sorrowful and beautiful.

THIS BOOK!!!! I have read and loved Lily King books before, but this is by far my favorite.

A coming of age story for our college-aged protagonist as she navigates school, family, ambition, and of course first loves. A book about the way your youth shapes your adulthood, the way the stories we tell ourselves shape our reality, and a tender and relatable cast of characters.

Any book that makes me cry this hard automatically gets 5 stars. Do yourself a favor and read it!

Thank you Grove Atlantic for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Heart the Lover by Lily King is a story within a story narrated by a woman who meets two guys in college who nickname her “Jordan” and go on to become really pivotal humans in her life. I read this book very quickly and really appreciated the story’s uniqueness compared to what I usually read.

Ultimately, I don’t think I’m the right audience for this book so although I rated it 4 stars, from a personal enjoyment perspective it was more of a 3.5. But I know this book will make for good discussions so I’m looking forward to seeing more people’s thoughts on the story once it publishes.

If you enjoy character-driven stories with a lot of academic, literary, and philosophical themes, I think you’ll like Heart the Lover! There are some heavy topics within the story so I’d strongly recommend checking the content warnings first to make sure you’re picking up this story at the right time.

Overall, I’m grateful I was introduced to Lily King’s writing through this book and without a doubt will be reading more of her books!

Oh, my heart! I have loved everything I've read by Lily King, especially Euphoria, it really stuck with me. This book started off a bit slow and I wasn't sure where it was going since I went in blind due to my love of the author. But by halfway through I was hooked and the last 3/4th was so devastatingly beautiful. I was in tears a few times.
The main character realizes how love binds us together and there are also main themes about getting older and how you learn what's important in life. I loved this story so much, it is one of my favorite books this year.
Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy and to Grove Atlantic.

Lily King speaks to me. I have loved her writing since I was a latecomer with Euphoria. This short one day read packs a punch and a punch and a punch. I could so relate and with the literary references I learned some new things. Independent People is mentioned and I just bought it a few weeks ago because Ann Patchett says its her favorite. birds of a feather. College years and saying goodbye to youth, the directions we take, the mistakes and the philosophy of them. So much to offer. Enjoy!

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Without spoiling this book, the best part was the end and I don’t mean because it was bad. It was immaculate, and you’ll understand why someday sweetie 💖🥹🤣 but seriously, it was absolutely a wonderful story, one that I was permanently engrossed in from start to finish because that’s just how @lilykingbooks does it! I’m SO excited that she is coming to Cincinnati in November - I’ll be first in line to get my copy signed! And then if she wanted to come visit @storylinebookshop well… @shopgirljanine and I could probably arrange that… #agirlcandream right? 😍 If you’ve read WRITERS & LOVERS I strongly urge to preorder your copy of HEART THE LOVER! ♥️

Lily King, author of the stunning novel "Writers and Lovers," returns to wreck her readers again with "Heart the Lover," a devastating look at love, grief and the writing life. I read this in a day, and it left me weeping. King's story focuses on three bright, at times self-serious college students with literary ambitions. Sam and Yash are a type of well-read, eager young men familiar to anyone who has taken an upper-level literature course. Each of them falls in love with the woman who narrates the book, nicknamed "Jordan" in a nod to "The Great Gatsby" and because she was a golfer. As the three of them wrap up college and try to make their way in the world. we are reminded that the injuries of young love can leave permanent scars.