I initially put off reading this book, expecting it to be an emotional, tear-jerking experience based on the description. While it certainly had its heartbreaking moments, I was pleasantly surprised by the underlying themes of resilience, healing, and hope.

Told through multiple perspectives, the story allows readers to deeply connect with each character’s emotions. A tragic accident becomes the wake-up call Grayson needs, forcing him to reevaluate his priorities—especially his complicated relationship with Reid, his longtime friend and coworker. Tired of his mixed signals, Reid finally stands her ground, making it clear that she won’t wait around any longer.

Meanwhile, Nadia struggles to find a new sense of normal after the sudden loss of her husband, all while raising her two young daughters. When Grayson begins experiencing strange feelings of sorrow connected to his new heart, his curiosity leads him to uncover an unexpected connection with his donor’s family. As their lives intertwine, the bond they form becomes a powerful source of healing for them all.

Thank you to NetGalley for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing m with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

After a tragic accident which kills another man, Grayson is given a new heart. He finally admits his love for Reid, his best friend, and they begin dating. But he ends up experiencing emotions that he can't explain and feels that something is missing in his life.

Heartbreak Hill is very heavy on the subject of death and grief. I would have preferred it if the book was told from Nadia's POV alone (and in first person) instead of having Reid and Grayson's POVs too.

I did not like that we did not get to find out why Nadia's mother in law was so cold to her even before the accident. She just disappeared after a while. I didn't care about Grayson and Reid's relationship and would have preferred to have Nadia and Kiran be more prominent in the last part of the story. It was too slow and would have been better if there were less side characters.

But I liked the portrayal of grief from Nadia and her daughters.

A very emotional read about love, loss and grief; with a twist in the middle.
A story about two families in very different stages of life and grief, that become entertained for life!
Image your best friend, and the man you're deeply in love with, collapsing in front of you and you later find out he desperately needs a heart transplant. This is the story of Reid and Grayson
Image your husband running in a street race; while you're waiting at the finish line with your two young daughters, you see a commotion and you realize it's your husband that's being loaded into an ambulance. There's no hope and you've decided to donate his organs. This is the story of Nadia and Rafe.
What happens next, blew my mind! It was so emotional and so raw, yet so sweet and special. I would absolutely recommend this book, it was so hard to put down!!
I knocked it down a star simply because I don't like repetition in a book and I felt like there was a lot of it.

A beautiful book of loss and second chances of life. It a story of moving forward and learning to live though the challenges of life

Heartbreak Hill by Heidi McLaughlin is a heartfelt and emotional romance that explores love, loss, and healing. The story follows a woman grappling with grief and the challenges of moving on after a deep personal loss, only to find solace in unexpected places. McLaughlin’s writing is poignant, with strong character development and a deep emotional core. Heartbreak Hill is a touching read for fans of contemporary romance with themes of recovery and second chances.

This book offers a deeply emotional exploration of grief, loss, and the profound impact of organ donation. The chapters that delve into the sudden loss of a father and husband are heart-wrenching, capturing the ripple effects of such an unexpected tragedy. From fractured family bonds to the overwhelming weight of depression and anger, it paints a raw and realistic portrait of how lives are forever changed. The story also touches on the significance of organ donation, showing how a selfless choice can bring hope and new life to others even in the face of immense loss.

In contrast, the chapters focused on Grayson and Reid shed light on the other side of the equation—the recipients of organ transplants. It dives into the complexities of living with a second chance, from the physical adjustments to the emotional burden of knowing their survival came at someone else’s loss. The guilt and determination to honor that gift are powerfully depicted, adding another layer of depth to the narrative.

When these two narratives finally intersect, the result is nothing short of a gut punch, blending sorrow, hope, and gratitude into an unforgettable conclusion.

This is the first book that I have read by this author and oh my heart! Grayson is a potentially fatal heart condition; Nadia loses her husband in a horrible accident. In the aftermath she makes the heart wrenching decision to donate their organs. Grayson is lucky enough to get his heart and have a second lease on life. This is one that will stick with me for a little while.

Heidi has done it again - delivered another touching story that leaves readers emotionally charged days after finishing.

Heartbreak Hill is exactly that - heartbreaking beautiful. This story touches on so much - grief, second chances, donor/transplant recipient, love and family.

This story depicts the lives of multiple people - Reid, Grayson, Rafe and Nadia and their respective families. Each of them go through tumultuous emotions, questioning themselves and their decisions and trying to move forward with their new "normal".

This was not an easy read as it does delve into grief and some very strong emotions. But it absolutely worth the tears I cried, the emotions that it conjured up. But it also made me appreciate what I have in life, what I lost and the second chances I have been granted.

Heartbreak Hill is proof that we can survive the darkest of rains to enjoy the rainbows that shine afterwards. We cannot appreciate the light when we haven't live in the dark.

Oh, my heart!

I don’t know when Heidi McLaughlin decided to step away from light, fluffy, run-of-the-mill formulaic contemporary romance to write these deep, heartbreaking love stories, but I am HERE FOR IT.

I absolutely LOVED Before I’m Gone - when I tell you I sobbed reading it, I mean running nose, smeared mascara, can’t hardly read through the tears crying. So I went into this one with a little trepidation. But fully prepared. And while this one didn’t make me cry as hard or as much, this one definitely took my heart on a roller coaster ride.

Heartbreak Hill is about a man in his mid-30s who knows he has a potentially fatal heart condition and therefore keeps the woman he loves in the dark and at arm's length. Then a medical crisis forces Grayson’s secret into the light and he has to decide if he’s going to make the most of the second chance at life he’s been given or squander the beautiful gift he received.

Several states away, at the same time Grayson is being kept alive by machines, Nadia loses her beloved husband and father of her three children in a terrible accident. In the aftermath, she makes the heart wrenching decision to donate his organs.

Heartbreak Hill is almost more of Nadia’s story of grief and heartache and navigating a life after her huge loss than it is of Grayson and his journey of healing and learning to live life to the fullest. As such, I feel like the given synopsis is a bit of a bait and switch. But I’m not really mad about it. I loved how the two stories intertwined and came to a heartwarming conclusion. This story was heartbreaking and beautiful and did make me cry. Just not quite as much as Before I’m Gone. Thank goodness.

I’ve been a fan of Heidi McLaughlin since her very first book, Forever My Girl. But these past two books have put her in a whole new category for me. Her previous books were entertaining, but satisfying in the way eating a full-size Snickers bar for lunch is…they filled my need for something to read, but weren’t particularly meaningful or substantial. Before I’m Gone and Heartbreak Hill are a four-course meal type of book. They hit all my senses, fill me up, and stay with me far after I’ve finished reading them. And there just don’t seem to be enough of those types in my life. After reading/listening to over 1800 books the past ten years and feeling like there are no new stories to be told and every romance book follows the same general path, Heartbreak Hill gives my cynicism a bump and reminds me there ARE still beautiful, breathtaking books out there for me to consume (and to consume ME). I hope Ms. McLaughlin’s next book is one of them.

* thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I loved this story. After reading the description, I thought I knew what was going to happen, but I was wrong. This book is about grief, the enduring power of love, and most importantly it celebrates girl dads. I’ve read a couple books by Heidi McLaughlin and this is my favorite.

This book was a beautiful story of not only romance but of love in many forms. Heidi McLaughlin has captured the complexities of love, loss, tragedy and hope through the voices of multiple characters. I read Heartbreak Hill with interest and connection to the all of the families involved. Thanks so much #NetGalley #Montlake #HeidiMcLaughlin

Heartbreak hill is a difficult yet amazing read, I couldn’t put it down! This book follows Grayson and Reid through the journey of a heart transplant, at the same time as following Nadia whose husband died in a tragic accident which led him to donating his heart.

I love how this book progressed through the relationships with different characters and the bond that was created between Grayson and Rafes children.

I have loved everything I have read by Heidi McLaughin and this definitely didn’t disappoint!

Excellent book, loved it! Looking forward to more from this author! Apologies for the lateness of my review

This one had potential but fell short for me...

I had some difficulty getting into this one as it is told in third person POV focusing on various characters. Then I could tell a major event that was coming and it was starting to crush me. Unfortunately, it really seemed to fall flat after the first few chapters. It was a unique storyline and was neat to see how two stories connected but there wasn't much else and it seemed to drag on for the most part.

Thanks so much Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. this was my first book from this author the story called my attention like the cover. One of the things I enjoyed was that each character had their own problems and still were resilient and they were trying to be more and make better and that is very important, emotional grown and character building

Thank you NetGalley, Heidi McLaughlin and Montlake for this e-ARC, '

Themes of love, sorrow, and second chances are all explored in this intensely emotional romance. Four characters and their families—Reid, Grayson, Rafe, and Nadia—are described in the story. They all struggle with intense emotions, self-doubt, and trying of starting a new lifestyle. The book explores the emotional complexities of organ donation, showing how the grief of one family can lead to the save of another. The story of Grayson and Reid's love is entwined with the suffering and recovery of everyone affected by the transplant, especially the family of the heart donor. I will absolutely be reading more from this author..

This was definitely a slow burn romance story. In the beginning I liked it a lot and was really into it and then once it got to the middle, I felt the story started to drag a bit. I really liked Grayson, who was one of the MC’s. He had a secret that he kept from almost everyone in his life until the day he collapsed during a basketball game. On the other side of the story, we have Nadia whose husband had a tragic thing that happened to him. Nadia and her children try to go on through life with the loss of their loved one and that part of the story was sad but also at times was heartwarming.

This seemed a bit drawn out at times, but still enjoyable. A sweet story with great characters. Little in the way of spice, but still good.

Wow what a book, my first book I’ve read by Heidi McLaughlin and I’m so blessed to have found her, I will absolutely be reading more from her.
Have tissues at hand for this book but honestly don’t let that deter you as it’s truly such a beautiful story.
It follows Grayson, he was born with a life threatening heart defect, he’s madly in love with Reid but he keeps her at arms length because of his health. Reid loves Grayson, has learnt to accept they will only have their friendship.
Grayson collapses at a basketball game, Reid learns of his secret as his life hands dangerously in the balance.
Meanwhile Rafe is involved is a tragic accident, his wife Nadia makes a life changing decision that will alter the course of Grayson future.
The story follows both Grayson, his second chance at life and Nadia and her little girls as they navigate their loss.
I sobbed, literally gut reaching sobs at parts, having also experienced sudden loss it resonated with me deeply. Honestly such a beautifully written story.
Thank you NetGalley, Heidi McLaughlin and Montlake for this ARC, all opinions expressed are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨💫 (3.75/5)

What starts out as a fun morning turns tragic. A loss of life. And a family devastated. Another family praying for a miracle. Grief and healing on all sides. A family lost is a family found.

I’m not going to lie, this is a tough read. Deals with so many conflicting emotions and life altering decisions. If you keep reading, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I found the cellular memory references intriguing. This definitely sheds light on organ donation from the grief stricken wife’s heartfelt and unfavorable decision to the grateful recipients new lease on life. The author did a good job of showing how mentally draining this is if you are not aware of your loved ones wishes. I loved the characters and their growth, especially the resilience of the children. Have the hard talk you pray you’ll never need.

Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.