HEART THE LOVER

by Lily King

With our matching names and home states, I have always supported Lily King’s books, and a little clue in the dedication makes me think we also both have a daughter named Eloise! King reliably balances an inventive and surprising plot with a  romantic view of her protagonists and an insightful perspective on human nature. Heart the Lover is the latest in her wonderful collection. (read other Lily King reviews here, here and here)

Heart the Lover begins, as so many coming-of-age romances do, on a university campus. Our narrator falls hard for Sam, the star student in her English class, and quickly discovers how much she enjoys being with his friend Yash as well.  They nickname her Jordan after the character in The Great Gatsby, and so begins the love triangle that will last their entire lives. 

King creates a story that made me want to shake these young adults to get them to realize how stupid they were being and how easy a happy ending could be.  But somehow she also made me feel like that young adult, trapped between a boyfriend and a friendship and trying to find happiness without destroying the fragile new world I'd built for myself. As Jordan ages and her life twists and turns, as lives always do, my empathy and identification with her dilemmas deepened. 

Heart the Lover contains a memorable plot and the beautiful writing that I expect from a Lily King book. But I think this one especially moved me because of the story being so relatable. Jordan, Sam and Yash are more-or-less regular college kids who spend their lives trying to find love and happiness while also caring for the people they love the most. And when their decisions lead to loss, it is all the more heartbreaking for their good intentions. I definitely recommend you grab a tissue box and curl up with this book this winter. (Lily)