Grayson is a young and seemingly healthy man, but he is actually not as healthy as he shows. He has had a heart disease since birth, and he assumes his days are numbered. Reid, a Grayson coworker since meeting Grayson, felt an attraction to him and wanted each other to be together, but Grayson, even after a faithful night, made it clear that he wanted to keep Reid in his friend zone and not more. After an argument, Grayson suddenly showed a serious sign of a heart attack, and after surgery, the doctor declared that he needed heart transplantation or else he was not going to make it. Nadia, Rafe's wife, never expected her husband to have an unexpected accident and never come back. She couldn't believe everything that happened to her life suddenly. In the morning, she whined to Rafe that she wanted to sleep, and at night, she said condolences. The torment hasn't stopped because she faces a new challenge. Is she willing to share the heart of the one and only person she has loved for many years?

First, note that the book is HEA, and the book has been written from people's perspectives. The book is a slice of life and describes not only Grayson and Reid's journey to marry but also the emotional circumstances of people who have a role in their lives. The book seems so real to me. It's everyone's accuracy that not everybody is born healthy or stays that way, and Grayson wasn't an exception. Heart disease is pretty common if you think about it, and the fact is that the book really describes the real world, not the bubbly happy universe of romance where the characters have minor problems that will be solved when they get together. It's exactly about what-ifs that some people don't have a chance to consider ever again.


The book got me thinking about lots of things. I wanted to blame Grayson for being a coward to confess to Reid, but when I went through the book, I couldn't blame him. He loved someone and truly wished a happy ending for her, and considering his disease, he doesn't want to be a coward and confess to Reid, but when I went through the book, I couldn't blame him. He loved someone and truly wished a happy ending for her, and considering his disease, he doesn't want to be a memory that Reid could never get rid of, and that hurts more when he has a heart attack because Reid thinks Grayson doesn't love her enough, even though he actually loves her more than anything and doesn't want to hurt her because what if he couldn't wake up tomorrow? Imagine one happy day, like every day your partner wakes you up. I made breakfast for you, like always kissing you goodbye and promising a fun evening with you, or the simple comment that I will be home in the afternoon. It's simple, right? So what happens? If that one specific person never comes back—not this afternoon or ever again? People always assume people around them will always stay the way they are. We plan for the future like it's a given, and we always say, "I will do that tomorrow." But what if there is no later? There is no next day, hour, or second. And the funny things you would have are, "If I hugged him tighter, if I said I loved you, if I never argued that day, and..." But the truth is, there is no what-if when the people who should be here are not there anymore.

I have the urge to rate 5 not because of superior writing or perfect skill but because of the sensitive point the author used in her book, and it can make you consider what you would do. If you were in the characters shoes and it's a strong factor that I appreciate, instead of spice, I prefer the term empathy in this book because, in the middle of a crisis, it's not the time for romance, but hey, the relationship bonus of book couples is sweet. I'm not a fan of self-care or improvement books and am not going to recommend them, but the book does help me consider the possibilities I thought were given, so I think it's worth reading.

Heartbreak Hill by Heidi McLaughlin is an excellent book if you’re looking for something that will give you a good cry but at the same time infuse you with the hope and inspiration. I should preface this review by saying that I have a soft spot for organ transplant stories because I’ve experienced it in my family. What I never “knew” or heard of was “cellular memory” and I found it fascinating but at the same time a bit upsetting. That being said, this storyline will grab your heart and twist it into a million pieces. The author very aptly gives the reader the insight into each character’s thoughts and feelings in a very organic and realistic way, most especially Nadia. Her chapters literally gutted me – I was a blubbering mess of tears. But watching her navigate through her grief and ultimately mature and grow and find meaning in her life was inspiring to say the least. Reid and Grayson’s chapters were more focused on their romance and their growth in their relationship with each other. I tangibly felt and understood Grayson’s frustration and sadness - it felt so real to me. And Rafe & Nadia’s girls – oh my, they were the hidden gems in this story. If you didn’t feel every emotion those girls felt while reading this book, you didn’t read the same book I read because I felt their pain as well as their happiness. Very uniquely written and so very different from any other book I’ve read. I would call it an inspiring and feel-good read even though I would suggest grabbing a box of tissues! It may not be for everyone, but I most definitely enjoyed it and highly recommend it. I’m grateful to have been given an opportunity to read and review an advance copy of this book for NetGalley.

4* What I've come to expect from this author -emotions galore.

This is a sad-sweet tale that ends well, a year or so after tragedy. However, I felt like I gelled more with Nadia and her girls rather than Grayson and Reid, because it didn't seem like we got to know the latter well. It's hinted to as to the reasons Grayson didn't declare his love, but that sounded like self preservation rather than selflessness. And he was a bit of an idiot, tbh, knowing about his condition but not raking his meds. Why? We weren't given a reason. Reid herself, possibly because her name sounded so masculine, I couldn't 'see' for most of the book. I think I began to see her, and her backbone, when Grayson dropped his reveal. And sadly, I couldn't see any passion or grand amour between them, though I got a sense of this from the absent Rafe and Nadia.

The tale ends sweetly, but it's a little imbalanced and not quite enough time feels as if it's passed between Grayson clocking he has Rafe's heart and telling Nadia and family. A few more visits and a bit more time would've felt more believable and reasonable. I was far more invested in Nadia and her future than Grayson and Reid's, likely because the author doesn't go there with the latter. Not sure why editors didn't pick up on this, and why there was such an emphasise on extended family members for pretty much all to disappear, and for dumped-in family conflict to seemingly resolve itself by itself. Maybe it was time that helped? Still, it's worth a read.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Montlake for my reading pleasure.

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4.5 stars

Rafe and Nadias' story hurt so much! I was ugly crying for half of this book. The grief that the author describes for Nadia really hurt but was written so well. The title couldn't be more perfect for the book.
Rafe dies in a horrible unexpected accident and donates his organs. In another place, Grayson receives Rafes' heart. Grayson gets a second chance at life, but he suddenly feels like his new heart is broken or missing something. He goes down a path of destruction, wondering if he even deserved this new heart. I loved how the book had a happy ending for everyone because I needed it after all the crying I did. If you love to cry while reading, this ones for you.

If you are looking for a happy read - look somewhere else. Heidi McLaughlin takes her readers on an emotional journey that at points were very difficult to read. Loss, organ donation and trying to find your way to new beginnings are the key elements. The characters were very well represented but the heartache might have been too much. Glad everyone got their HEA in the end but it was a long upsetting road to travel. This might be a better movie than a book.

5 Stars ... make sure to have tissues handy!

This has to be the saddest book I have ever read. I was crying by the third chapter and at times I was literally sobbing. This book deals with sensitive situations that will break your heart. I felt so sorry for Nadia and her daughters and the author portrayed their heartbreaking emotions brilliantly ... people just don't get over loosing a loved easily. There can be bad days for a long long time. The chapters would go back and forth between Grayson, Reid and Nadia ... so there were some happy points like when Grayson finally gets is head on straight. This is one of those books that is going to stay with me for a long time.

Grayson was born with a heart defect and because of that he has kept Reid at a distance. As Reid tells him she's going to move on, he collapses and is rushed to the hospital. He is put into a medically induced coma till a new heart can be found. Rafe, Nadia and their two little girls are the perfect family living in the suburbs of Boston. Rafe has run in an annual street race and this year he has set his mind to win. But after a tragic accident he is left on life support. Nadia makes the decision she knows that her husband would want by donating his organ so he can save other lives even if her and her daughters hearts will be forever broken.

I received an early copy courtesy of Montlake through NetGalley.

I received a free copy of, Heartbreak Hill, by Heidi McLaughlin, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Grayson Caballero has a heart defect, he tries to keep people at bay, until he meets Reid Sullivan and falls in love with her. Wow, this book is so complex, but such a dazzling read. It made me cry.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This was a heartbreaking read that really grabs you from the first chapter to the very end. A tragic story that gives you all the feels and gives you hope. I don’t want to give too much of the story away…just know if you love a high emotional story then this is for you!

The book explores the concept of cellular memory, where a heart transplant patient experiences the emotions and memories of the donor. The story follows Grayson and Reid but delves into too many unnecessary side characters and details, making it feel overwhelming. Grayson's reluctance to share his heart condition with Reid seems unrealistic, and their romance didn't feel engaging. However, Nadia's story post-accident was more compelling, showcasing her struggles and resilience. Despite some flaws like repetitive elements and excessive side characters, the book had its moments and wasn't a total letdown.

Another tearjerker by Heidi Mclaughlin. We 5 adults and 2 kids who are the main characters

Grayson, heart patient living on borrowed time. Likes Reid, his close friend, colleague and lives in the same apt. Safe, who dies and his heart is donated to Grayson, Nadia, Rafes widow with 2 little kids. Kiran, Rafes friend in love with Nadia.

After his heart transplant, Grayson reaches out to Nadia and her girls. What follows is how the relationships of the 3 main character evolve. Graysons communicatio, or lack of, leads to some rocky moments.

The book was sad, it was slow and definitely keep those tissues ready.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the early read of Heartbreak Hill This one is a tough one to rate because it is sad. If you’re not in the mode for a sad book, this may not be for you. I’m okay with reading something a bit sad but this one made me cry. It was thought provoking for sure. Overall it was a very interesting and emotional read.

I believe that the world-building and character development could have been a little stronger and realistic, especially on Nadia's part. The immediate plot points made it difficult to sympathise at the beginning of the book, however, this was slightly redeemed by the later writing.

This is a story about grief and healing that may not be for everyone. I, however, am a sucker for a story that makes me feel. This story had me in tears and taking breathing breaks.

We follow the story of Grayson and Reid, who are best friends who are also in love with one another. However, secrets almost ruin any chance they have to be with one another. After a medical episode in which Grayson ends up with a new heart, he begins to view his life differently. As the months pass, he starts experiencing emotions he can't explain, and it threatens his relationships with Reid.

We also follow Nadia and her children. She tragically loses her husband and makes the selfless decision to donate his organs. We experience her struggle to find a new normal for her and her daughters. Her pov is absolutely gut-wrenching and realistic. I sobbed for her and her girls.

Through a web , secrets, and miscommunication, these three lives become intertwined. I had moments when I was absolutely gobsmacked at what these characters were experiencing and hiding, and more than once, I was worried the ending would crush my soul. What happened instead was a beautiful reconnecting of my heart.

As stated by the author This book started with a what if “what if a heart transplant patient has feelings that didn’t belong to them” a term known as “cellular memory” where “patients have personality changes after surgery, including new preferences, emotions, and memories that are similar to their donor’s” I actually googled cellular memory myself to learn more about it because that was fascinating to me.

If you don’t like loss and grief in your stories, then this book is not for you.

This book was just written in such a way where I didn’t really connect with the characters or the story that much and the whole thing just came off just kind of this big cheesy attempt in trying to tell a moving story about heart transplant.

This book is also about characters, which I didn’t mind. I just felt like the author tried to cram a lot of stuff into the story, unnecessary characters, unnecessary information that we didn’t need and it just came off as too much.

Grayson and Reid, our first main characters. Now the story starts off just jumping right into things, Grayson is at the rec center playing basketball and that’s where he has a heart attack and Reid thought he was joking at first because she knows nothing about his heart condition. These first couple of chapters, the author tries to cram so much in, and when a new side character is introduced, she just gives you a big information dump, their likes, their dislikes their history, just too much telling sometimes and not enough showing, and not gradually revealing stuff.

Then we have Rafe and Nadia. And I found myself liking Nadia‘s part more than Grayson and Reid’s. Grayson was at times so ridiculous, it made no sense why he never tells Reid about his heart condition and they’re supposedly so close and the best of friends. He just gave a lot of stupid reasons and just explanations that made no sense for not telling her. There was a lot of stupid dialogue on his part like after his heart transplant when he tells his mom why he hasn’t been taking his heart medication, was it because it caused him negative effects that interrupted his day-to-day life, no folks it was because taking his life saving medication made him feel like less of a man, made him feel weak, smh. It was at that point that I was just over this character. There’s a lot more just ridiculous repetitive dialogue. I’m not gonna spoil too much, but it was a struggle to get through some parts of this book.

The romance between Grayson and Reid was just bla to me. Didn’t connect with them, didn’t care enough so just skipped over that.

Like I said, I did enjoy Nadia’s part, watching her navigate all that she had to deal with after the accident and her kids, trying to get on with her life, those scenes I did care about and wanted to see her story more.

Also, as I stated, just too many side characters, I couldn’t keep up with all of them so I didn’t even bother trying.

As for the portion with the cellular memory stuff and how that part of the story was done, it was over the top cheesy but I wasn’t mad at it. I did enjoy Grayson‘s interactions with Nadia‘s two daughters.

Overall, I didn’t hate it, and I didn’t love it. I did enjoy Nadia’s view points more than the rest. It wasn’t a terrible read. I did struggle with some parts, too many unnecessary repetitive details and side characters, but it wasn’t terrible. I did enjoy some moments in this book.

Grayson collapsed while playing basketball. His heart is too damaged and he needs a transplant.
At the same time, a man in Boston suffers a terrible accident. This book is about the connection between these two men.
I liked the way Grayson faces his life after the transplant.
The book is ok. A little slow in some moments and the end was weaker than I expected.

This book starts with a bang, with our two characters Reid and Grayson introduced to the reader as forced proximity lovers that made me love them. I will say that the sudden introduction to them made it hard to empathise at such an early point in the book, but as the characters developed further in the book it became easier.

On the other side of the story, we have our other story that involves Nadia and her husband who is forced into a tragic accident that will bring tears to your eyes. Following this part of the story becomes increasingly more and more sad, definitely with how the family copes with this loss.

Throughout the book, you slowly see these two stories tie together through the process of organ transplant, a topic I think is not often talked about in books and thank the author for including it.

I would say that I found the story to be quite slow and think that if it was to be more fast-paced it would definitely attract younger audiences or also get sold out fast in bookstores. It remains a very good and quick readthat will make you shed a tear and think about it for a bit.

Finally, thank you to NetGalley and the author Heidi McLaughlin for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

A truly heartbreaking story and I felt like I needed something to have a good cry to and this definitely did it for me! I do feel it would've been better in first person but I did enjoy this book.

Ugh, this book heart my heart so bad. It had me ugly crying numerous times throughout. I knew it was going to be a tearjerker but jeez🥺.

This is my first book by Heidi and I loved her writing style. It kept me engaged the whole time and I loved how it jumped to each persons POV throughout. It really added to the story reading from everyone’s perspective.

My only reason for it not being a 5 star is the fact that what happened towards the end was just excepted straight away with no questions. If someone from my past randomly turned up at my house trying to be close to my child I’d find it very odd. BUT I’m glad it did happen for the ending.

Incredibly emotional and poignant, this story deals with organ donation, and incredible heartbreaking circumstances.

In Washington, DC, Greyson has always had congenital heart disease, and even though he loved Reid with all his heart, he kept her in the friend zone because he felt he didn’t have much to offer. Meanwhile, in Boston, Rafe Karlsson plans to run a 10-mile run, determined to win the cup; instead, he died in a tragic accident, saving a woman from an out of control car, leaving behind a brokenhearted wife and two daughters.

Greyson collapsed after a basketball game with his friends, taken to the hospital, where he was kept in deep coma waiting for a new heart because his own had given out. And in Boston, Nadia was taking the difficult decision to donate her husband’s organs.

To say this book was emotional would be an understatement. I lived Nadia’s heartbreak over losing her husband, how the days went by and she had a hard time grasping the fact that he wasn’t here anymore. Her family was very supportive, but this is a road that you travel alone, the heartbreak is yours alone. And still, she had to somewhat function for her little girls, who were as heartbroken as she was.

We deal with Greyson’s feelings too, as he has a second chance at life, at how his future opened up and he could take up all his goals. It’s a tragic story on one side, and a love story on this side, but there’s survivor’s guilt, sadness that someone died in order for him to get a new heart and a new lease of life, a gratitude that had nowhere to go, until Greyson had strange feelings that had no reason to exist.

The book takes some very interesting and heartfelt turns as a father’s heart, beating on a stranger’s body, takes Greyson on a journey to reunite with his little girls. I can truly say that I cried a river reading this book, and I feel fortunate to have travelled this journey with Nadia, Reid and Greyson.

This is a five-star read that will break your heart in two, but it will also put it back together again. Although there is tragedy in this story, there is love as well, a love that transcends everything, and it may not be the love that you expect, but it’s a love that shines through. If you need an emotional reset then this is the story for you, honestly it will be one of those stories that will stay with you, it will grab your heart and never let go. I love how the author brings up tough emotional storylines that challenge some, but shine a light for others and hopefully a light that will shine through for many, and hopefully change even one opinion on organ donation, as even one extra donation can change so many lives. Pick up this story and find a depth you cant even imagine.