Hopeful, poignant and uplifting, Debbie Howells’ The Shape of Your Heart is an emotionally satisfying romantic read that cannot fail to move and enthrall readers.

Callie has always been the least ambitious of her sisters, but she had always been the happiest. She was never in a huge rush to climb the corporate ladder, but was happy with her lot in life and with her wonderful fiancé. Everything was set in motion for a future with the love of her life – until fate intervened and all her plans were smashed into a million tiny pieces. Now all alone, adrift and heartbroken, Callie is trying to put together the fragmented pieces of her life. A year since her loss, Callie is ready for more and she vows to try and find a way to be happy again.

Nathan is fully aware that not everybody gets a second chance in life and having being lucky enough to be given another shot at happiness, he is certainly not about to squander it. Nathan had left the city behind and moved to Cornwall and is ready to start afresh far from the painful memories of the past. When Nathan meets a beautiful woman on the beach, he is immediately bowled over, but alas the woman’s heart belongs to somebody else.

Are Nathan and Callie ready to take a chance on love and life? Everything they’ve always wanted is within both of their reach – but only if they are brave enough to give themselves permission to be happy and grasp this unexpected blessing with both hands.

Debbie Howells’ The Shape of Your Heart is a book that effortlessly tickles the funny bone and moves readers to tears. A beautifully told tale written with candour and sensitivity, The Shape of Your Heart is a book about love, loss, healing and new beginnings that I couldn’t stop reading. Debbie Howells beautifully explores the frailties and vulnerabilities of the human heart and has penned a wonderful tale readers will want to tell all their friends and family about.

A hugely enjoyable read that will go down a treat with Jojo Moyes and Marian Keyes fans, Debbie Howells’ The Shape of Your Heart is an absolute gem that should be on everyone’s must-buy list.

I loved the Cornwall setting in this book. The main characters were also likeable and charming, I flew through the pages and really enjoyed the storyline.

First of all, let us begin by appreciating how beautiful the book cover is!! I love the colors and how they perfectly complement each other.

The title of the book is perfectly fitting for the title. The story is about love, second chances, grief, and emotions. Don’t let the cover misguide you; the story is heavy with emotions. It is well-written and will take you on an emotional journey.

Reading about Callie and Nathan feels like an uplifting journey and will leave you motivated. Highly recommended for readers who are undergoing a similar phase in life.

I love mental health rep in a story!! Any kind of emotional health is my jam. I appreciated each character learning to deal with loss and grief in their own way.

Sometimes the story felt a little predictable and quite slow- but it was sweet seeing Nathan be so honest with his feelings for Callie. I liked both of them as characters and the story really was beautiful and descriptive but I wish I felt more of a connection with their relationship.

This was the first time I had read anything from this author and would definitely grab another! Thank you @NetGalley for the chance to read this arc!!

A brilliant book
An enjoyable read
An one that you won’t want to put down
Plenty of emotions in this book
Would highly recommend
Thanks NetGalley

I loved this book. It covered such a range of emotions and gives you hope that even in the face of such adversity you can make it through and reach happiness at the other side. I really enjoy this author’s books and I recommend this book very highly.

Callie lost her fiancé on the day of their wedding and fast forward to the 1st anniversary of the fateful day, Callie is no way near to moving on with her life. She still stayed in the same house that are supposed to be their family home and the only solace she has is the beautiful garden that she created. Nathan who due to recent health scare decided to move to the village for a better lifestyle. He bought a small cottage and he need help to create and maintain the garden for him. He found Callie and engaged her to do the garden for him like the one she has created at her home.

It is a story about finding love again after a traumatic event in their life. Callie’s world was totally collapsed and reading her story make me tear up while Nathan was given a 2nd chance to live again after a life threatening event. There is a twist in the story at the end which I did not expect but it is a lovely ending to a sad story. Overall it is an emotional read to me.

It’s a great easy read, perfect for a holiday, a rainy Sunday or any other time you just want to escape.
Ultimately the book is about love and healing, and left me feeling satisfied, definitely worth a read.

A wonderful story about people dealing with lost and grief at different points in their lives and still finding each other.

Without giving the main plot away, this book reminded me of Thanks for the Memories by Cecelia Ahern and followed a similar storyline. I also love these sorts of reads as it does make you wonder whether memories can be stored in parts of your body and when transplanted develop in the "new recipient".

If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would . A book I could relate too
I started this book and couldn’t put it down - real life was put on hold .
This book was beautifully written, exploring the thoughts and feelings of the main characters Callie and Nathan .
There were some twists to the plot which I didn’t expect and some I could see coming but these did not spoil the story. An emotional rollercoaster of a book but exceptional- I didn’t want to finish it
This book dealt with grief and the tiny steps needed to move on , major health issues and coming to terms with the consequences. It was also about healing and how family and friends can help you move on .
This book was a book which will stay with me- a special book which I can highly recommend
Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Debbie Howells for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. I loved this book. The characters were multidimensional and well-written, and the story engaging. Complex and emotive themes were sensitively explored, and I really rooted for the characters.

This book is written with great pacing. There is not a ton of major action, but there is enough going on that it does work well. I think that the author's choice to alternate between male and female MC narration worked well in this book (I do find that this style is a bit overused in contemporary romance but this one warranted it). I also like that it was a very slow romance which made sense based on the trauma Callie experienced and the grief she was working through. I think it was really neat the ways that the heart was used in both symbolic and literal ways, and in both representations; a bodily organ and a symbol of love. There were definitely a few curve balls I didn't see coming, and a few semi-predictable relationship misunderstandings (ex. catching the guy you like with a hot girl who happens to be his sister...), and some interesting opportunities to reflect on love, relationships, loss and independence. My only minor downside was that there was a good amount of information about Callie's backstory (events 1 year in the past), and not so much for Nathan. I think this was a conscious choice based on the slow reveal of information later in the story, but I think that an equal amount of info could have been given for Nathan's past without giving away any spoilers, and having a similar affect in the reveal. It just might have been helpful in creating two equal main characters. Overall it was a good book and I'd definitely recommend it.

Well written with an engaging storyline and well developed characters. I found some parts predictable, but I did still really enjoy it.

I couldn’t actually finish this one as things that were happening with the dad in the story were a little too close to home after losing my dad last year..

But I did really enjoy the 60% I did read and I’m hoping to be able to go back and reread it at some point in the future.

This is a book I truly wish I could read for the first time all over again. I’m in complete awe and fangirl mode at how utterly fantastic this book is.

I was not a fan of this book. I didn't finish it, due to the fact. The book felt like it was repeating many movies that I had already seen and it did not feel original at all.

⭐️Rating: 3/5
✍🏼Author: Debbie Howells
📖Genre: Romance

This is a love story romance about Callie and Nathan as they navigate life through self discovery and deal with their own experiences of grief. Callie lost her fiance unexpectedly and Nathan dealt with a serious health issue that forced him to take a hard look at his life and make necessary changes. They both find each other at vulnerable stages of their lives and develop a bond that later develops into something more.

This was such a beautiful, well written, light read that captivated my heart. I thought the author did a phenomenal job with the character development and storyline.


Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are that of my own.

This highly entertaining romantic read grabbed me from the very early chapters and had me invested in Callie's story. I particularly enjoyed how the characters were all entwined together. (No spoilers here!) Fast-paced and emotionally driven, with a beautiful storyline focusing on loss, love and new beginnings, this could have easily been a 24-hour read.

Howells writing style flows well, and this is my favourite read by her that I have read so far. An absolute delight!

The only reason why this is not a five-star read for me is that I did manage to guess the conclusion, but this is only my personal opinion. The majority of romance reads all end in the same way, don't they - which is likely to be their appeal to readers.

I highly recommend this read to all fans of this genre, and it would make a great read, either in the summer sun or to cosy up with in the colder months. Grab a copy today!

Callie's life is going great, she's the happiest she's ever been, but on her wedding day, she loses her fiance. A year later, she's still grieving but determined to find happiness again. Nathan survived a health scare and decides he wants a slower pace in life so he moves into a small cottage in Cornwall. A series of events lead them to each other and Callie decides to help him with his garden. They become friends and then more, helping each other to heal and live again.
This book was focused more on grief and healing than the underlying romance. It's definitely not a happy, feel-good story but it is full of hope and I felt it accurately portrayed the grieving process Callie went through. Although sad, I believed the book was well written with beautiful descriptions of the surrounding area.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.