Grayson had a terminal heart condition and is in a coma seeking a heart transplant. Rafe drastically passes away in an accident and donates his organs. I wanted to love this book especially due to the heavy content however it wasn’t for me. I didn’t feel a real connection to the characters. Had slower moments and was hard to keep engaged , overall an okay read

I loved all the varying perspectives per each chapter. Seeing the entire view of Nadia, Greyson & Reid’s lives was an incredible experience!! I think falling for the dead husbands best friend is my new favorite trope?! Heidi always sweeps me off my feet! This one was great 🤩

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The plot, which focuses on different impacts on people regarding chronic heart diseases and organ donation, was quite enjoyable! I really liked the different perspectives of the characters of Reid and Grayson compared to Nadia; it kept make me wonder if they would cross paths. I also love slow-burn, so I valued that romantic subplot, although I think it could've been expanded on a little more.

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.

Overall, it was quite a short read and a heart-warming story, so it's quite easy to get into!

Omg, I'm a huge fan of this author and I absolutely loved this book! Thanks Netgalley and to the publisher for this ARC

Heartbreak Hill by H. McLaughlin, published by Montlake is a full length, stand alone.
An emotional read, drama laden, sometimes a bit cheesy.
Grayson, Reid, Nadia and Rafe are connected in a way nobody could have dreamed off. Tragic, beautiful and emotional.
Blurb: Grayson Caballero born with a heart defect, he’s been living on borrowed time. The uncertainty of tomorrow makes him push people away.
Then he meets Reid Sullivan and falls madly in love. The two work together. They even live in the same apartment complex. But Grayson continues to keep his distance, despite their obvious attraction. And Reid’s not interested in waiting around.
When Grayson collapses at a basketball game, Reid learns he’s been keeping secrets from her. Now his life hangs in the balance…and a stranger from Boston holds the key to his survival.
Nadia Karlsson makes a life-changing decision after her husband, Rafe, is involved in a tragic accident near Harvard Square. Her choice will unwittingly alter the course of Grayson’s future—and tie his fate unexpectedly to her own.

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy from NetGalley.

The first half of the book is heart wrenching and Nadia’s suffering is beautifully written. I really liked how the author wrote about the complex medical issues and the process of organ donation.

The story switches between Nadia/Rafe & Grayson/Reid which gives the reader significant insight on what is going on within separate storylines but then brings them together and full circle in the end.

The third person POV threw me off at first but I was quickly able to adjust and realized that it was essential in giving us a raw view of what the characters were experiencing.

Overall a good easy read that will have you feeling an array of emotions. Thank you NetGally for the opportunity to read this book!

With a touching look into chronic heart conditions, Heidi McLaughlin introduces readers to Grayson Caballero and his fear of falling in love. When his neighbor and HR employee continues to pop up around, Grayson can no longer keep his distance nor attraction at bay. This is a story of fear and love and how they are two sides of the same coin. Fear of love is love of fear and Grayson and Reid both work on their fears as they fall in love. I was surprised by the twist at the end and the intricate tie to Nadia, a stranger, who's choices alter Grayson and Reid's future forever. A look at time, fear, and love, as futures hang in the balance- McLaughlin brings the tension, timing, and torment at heed in Heartbreak Hill. I look forward to future releases from this author.

What a great book. I hope Heidi McLaughlin keeps up the great work and I can’t wait for her next book! Loved it!

Wow, this book took a lot of unexpected turns and left me with a lot of mixed feelings.

In the beginning the story loved it and made me cry many times. I loved Nadia and her daughters, but I hated Grayson a little bit for his attitude with everyone.

Fortunately he knows how to take advantage of his second chance in life and at the end of the story he ends up winning me over.

Sad book but felt very rushed and fast paced. You didn’t get a chance to know the characters before tragedy happened so it was kinda like oh well they’re hurt i don’t know them. You get to know them over time but at the beginning it’s just go go go go, and you don’t feel very settled into the story yet.

I loved reading this book. I thought the idea behind it was super interesting and compelling. While we have scientific facts, we can’t negate the possibilities of the unknown. I felt the love and grief of Nadia and her girls, it made me cry several times just putting myself in their shoes. That was definitely the more gut wrenching part of the story. I liked the love story between Greyson and Reid but my main focus was on Nadia, Gemma and Lynnea and then their connection to Greyson. I do recommend this book though, gets you right in the heart. No pun intended…

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Heartbreak Hill releases October 1, 2024

2.5

This is both a story of a man born with a congenital heart defect who receives a transplant, and the grieving wife of the man whose organs were donated.

Nadia’s plotline of being a grieving wife and mother to two girls was stronger and more compelling than the romance between Grayson and Reid. Even with Grayson’s second chance at life, I couldn’t warm up to him solely because the way he treated everyone was extremely unfair.
You can’t just string along and friend zone someone who loves you while making it your mission to cockblock the entire male population that dares to look her way. Give her the freedom to make her own decisions with her life if you’re so adamant on not furthering your mutual attraction!
But then to jump the gun and go straight to marriage after miraculously having a transplant when you’ve been keeping secrets the entire time you’ve known each other? Baffling.
The fact that Grayson was born with this heart defect and had preventative medication, yet chose not to take it while also purposely eating a bad diet was such a slap in the face. Like, you did that to yourself! And I’m supposed to be brought to tears over the fact that you get a second chance? Not happening.
His character development (or lack thereof) throughout the story wasn’t enough to sway me either because he kept up his habits of keeping secrets with Nadia and her two girls who’ve already been through such a traumatic life event at such a young age.

I found it too convenient that Grayson dated Nadia when they were younger, and that he was the recipient of her husband’s heart. The reactions and tension would have been better had they been strangers.

Another thing that irked me was the baby talk; wif for with, fank for thank, etc. This change in characterization only happened once each of the pov’s converged, which didn’t make sense since that was so late in the book.

A story about hope, life and death, grief and new beginnings, “Heartbreak Hill”, by Heidi McLaughlin, also opens unexpected, surprising and fascinating twists in super risky medical procedures, inserting them in the narrative thread.
I loved the peculiar issues related to organ transplants, some not scientifically based, the author introduced and how they become part of the story and change characters and plot.
I really liked how Nadia’s grief is written and how ever so slowly something changes while she’s still in bereavement (I thought it could take even a bit longer).
I also loved Kiran’s character and his sweet personality and quiet intervention within the family.
In a way, I felt more moved by Nadia’s story than Grayson’s and Reid. The way Rafe's character is written is also great.
In the beginning I even disliked Grayson’s recklessness and selfishness; later I warmed up to him because of the connection with the girls.
The bonds between Grayson and the girls and the fact Nadia isn’t part of the equation are very interesting. The unexplained dimensions of the process are really compelling to read.
The tension, anxiety and pain of waiting for a matching donor; the donor’s family suffering – all is done superbly well.
I felt Grayson’s rehabilitation was too quick – and he was eating popcorn and drinking champagne already?! – to be fully convincing.

Four chapters in and I was already in tears! This story is both heartbreaking and wonderful, a true emotional rollercoaster.

I was a huge fan of Reid and Grayson, but Nadia's chapters truly shattered me. Her narrative, along with the children's, was where the emotions hit hardest. I felt every moment deeply and couldn’t put the book down.

This is the second book I’ve read by Heidi, and I’m officially a big fan, even if she turns me into a blubbering mess!

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this incredible book

Wow, I am not sure I can do this book justice. 'Heartbreak Hill' is a complete joy to read and yet is also one of the most emotional, heartbreaking books I have read. I read this extremely quickly as I just could not bear to put the book down. The plot is mesmerising and so emotional, McLaughlin has done a fantastic job at capturing the emotions and portraying them so vividly.
A book like this would not work without wonderful characters and this is what McLaughlin delivers us. I cared about all of them so much, I wanted to read about them, follow their story and experience their emotions with them.
This is a soul-destroying read and yet a stunning read and one that I absolutely adored reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for an advance copy.

A sweet story about how a women lost her husband and and donates his organs and a young man receives his heart and gets a second chance at life and how those two lives come to tout will make you laugh,and cry a absolute wonderful story

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters and the plot were believable. It is such a feel.good storyline. I recommend this book.

This was my first read by this author, the writing is fantastic. The title of the book explains the whole story basically. All I can say without giving any details is that it’s an emotional read. I suggest it, just know it’s a roller coaster your going to be on!

First of all, thank you for not giving away too much in the synopsis!

Secondly, I love a title that forces me to stop and contemplate. My mind immediately went to the most challenging section of the Boston Marathon, also called Heartbreak Hill, and I presumed that the story held in my hands featured a defining incident and/or a challenging feature of a relationship between the main characters.

I wasn’t far off.

The same way extreme athletes require mental fortitude to push through the pain and keep going in order to conquer this section of the marathon, so do Grayson and Reid. They embrace a challenge, push through the pain and experience the triumph of conquering. Like the athletes, there is a physical and mental toll at a crucial point; especially when their journey intersects with that of Nadia and Rafe Karlsson. Heartbreak Hill is the most challenging place in any relationship. We’ll all face it at some point. How will we fare?

This book is really about a change of heart.

Grayson Caballero and Reid Sullivan both work at Wold Collective, live in the same apartment complex, are single, and have an obvious attraction to each other, yet Grayson keeps his distance. The thing is, if he waits too long, Reid will become tired waiting. Suddenly, something out of his control happens and it forces them to reconsider…everything.

I appreciated an opportunity to reevaluate and recalibrate. I learned about love in the face of death, about making life-changing decisions, and got a glimpse of the misunderstood and unique journey of grief. I was reminded that every loss is a death of sorts and was left considering where my feelings of love come from - is it a reaction or is it a stored memory?

This book about love, second chances and loss is one you’ll want on your reading list this summer.

I was gifted this copy by Montlake and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I really loved this one! This was my first time reading by this author and save to say I'm excited to read more of her books. I absolutely loved the characters. They felt so real. The story is really emotional and heartbreaking and had me tearing up so many times. I'll have to say the relationship between Grayson and the girls was my absolute favorite. Though it is written in 3rd pov I had no issues connecting with the characters. It started out a bit slow but as the story built up I couldn't wait to read more.

Thank you so much to net galley for the arc.