Review of Heart is a Star by Megan Rogers – 3.5/5 stars

Megan Rogers’ debut novel Heart is a Star is an emotionally resonant story about family, memory, and personal identity. The story follows Layla Byrnes. She is forced to confront her past when a long-held secret from her mother disrupts her carefully structured life.

The writing is very clear and well structured. The author did particularly well in her depiction of the landscapes and the subtle complexities of family dynamics. The emotional depth is a highlight feature of this book, and it was very easy to connect as a reader with the themes of reconciliation, forgiveness, and self-discovery.

That said, the pacing was a little uneven at times, and some of Layla’s choices frustrated me to the point where I was annoyed. While this reflects the complexities of real-life , it occasionally slowed the narrative down.

Overall, Heart is a Star is a thoughtful, introspective debut that will appeal to readers who enjoy character-driven family dramas.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

This was something. All of the side characters kind of sucked, no one was supportive of Layla and everyone needed therapy. So. Much. Therapy.

This story completely blew me away. The writing is beautiful and lyrical, and I felt so deeply connected to the emotions running through the story. It’s one of those rare books that lingers in your mind long after finishing, both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.

Megan Rogers owes me for the tears I cried while reading this book! Heart is a Star is an emotionally rich story that explores grief, family secrets, and personal growth. The narrative draws readers into Layla’s world, where she navigates complex relationships and uncovers truths that challenge her understanding of herself and those around her.

Rogers’ writing is lyrical yet grounded, with vivid descriptions and nuanced characters that make every scene feel real. The pacing balances tension and reflection, making it easy to get lost in Layla’s journey. This book is perfect for readers who enjoy introspective, character-driven stories about resilience, love, and self-discovery.

I could look at the book cover all day! It's beautiful and eye-catching. I wish the story itself lived up to the hype I felt looking at the cover, but unfortunately I didn't find it as enthralling as I'd hoped.

Tense, emotional, and quietly explosive - this story digs deep into messy family ties, buried secrets, and personal reckoning. It starts slow but hits hard once it gets going. Honest, raw, and beautifully sad, it captures the chaos of love, guilt, and identity without flinching. Uncomfortable, but unforgettable.

A stunning debut novel from this Australian author encompassing the turmoil of midlife, a fragile relationship,a stressful job, needy children and an estranged mother. Layla’s mind is thrown into a quandary when a call from Tasmania leaves her feeling she needs to confront her mother regarding her real father before it’s too late. She flies off to Tasmania and her visit becomes life affirming and encourages her to make decisions and move on with her life with a clearer perspective on the future.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Heart is a Star by Megan Rogers was a story about a complicated life with the juggles of family, infidelity and career issues. The characters were well developed and the story line was well written. Recommend. Thank you for the ARC.

Layla, an anaesthetist, is suspended after a death at the hospital she works at. She has been unhappily married to Gabe for years, and they have two children. Layla has also been having an affair with an artist, Lucas, but even that is not going well.

When Layla receives yet another call from her very unhappy mother, she decides she'll travel back to see her. Layla heads off with her aunt Dawn, leaving her family at home, worried about what she'll find once she reunites with her mother, whom Layla feels has been lying to her for years about what really happened to her father.

Much of the story is spent with Layla considering her past, and it was increasingly tedious moving back and forth this way. Though the writing is good, but I was never captured by the narrative, and never warmed to the main character.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Central Avenue Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my review.

I feel bad that I didn't post this review much sooner as I read this book towards the tale end of last year (in my defence, a LOT has happened in the past six months but my apologies, nevertheless).

The Heart Is A Star is such a compelling read and this review definitely deserved my undivided attention. This is a book about grief and growth and a devastating secret. It's a real gift to write a character like Layla Barnes, who is certainly flawed but somehow very sympathetic, and we are on a journey of discovery with her, while everything seems to be falling apart around her, including her marriage, her job and her affair.

There are some incredible twists and turns in this book, most of which I was not expecting, despite being quite a suspicious reader. It definitely raises the question of whether we know our loved ones as well as we think, and even if we know ourselves as well as we should. It's brilliantly paced and even though we career towards a shocking reveal, it doesn't feel at all rushed.

TL;DR: Layla Barnes' life is falling apart, and is going to fall apart some more, and you won't be able to look away.

3.5 stars rounded up. This was a well-written, sort of lyrical book. It was light on the plot and heavy on the character development and relationships. It wasn't a happy story and it didn't always hold my attention, but it was a thoughtful kind of book.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

An engaging story about a woman trying to find herself as she juggles a family, a troubled marriage, a career, and a lover. If that isn't enough, her emotionally disturbed mother sends a cry for help at Christmas time. Layla goes home to help her mother and to try to get some answers. That's when things start to unravel as family secrets are revealed and the world she thought she knew implodes. The writing is well done with insights that readers can empathise with. Here are a couple of powerful lines:
"We live a double life. The outer life, which is the one we observe at airports and across dinner tables, at school pickups and basketball practice. And then, the one beneath. The secret, passionate, inside-our-skin lives; the intense life that no one else sees."

"My decisions have come from deception. So many choices based on idolizing lies. Who am I?"

"Long loves require forgiveness. Again and again."

The setting adds to the story with great descriptions of Tasmania. This is an emotional rollercoaster for Lalya and the reader.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Unfortunately, I ended up DNFing this, hence the 1 star. This was not what I thought it was going to be based on the synopsis. The characters were difficult for me to invest in and the pace was too slow for my taste.

This is a fascinating novel about middle age and all of its myths and the reality that you've lived half your life and can reflect and live the rest differently if you choose! Layla is an anesthesiologist whose mother calls one day with something she NEEDS to know. The book deals with relationships. self-denial, and the secrets we often tell ourselves when we are in denial. There are always choices to be made and the myths and reality often collide so it's important to constantly re-evaluate our decisions so we can live our best lives.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This is a very slow read, and eventually I gave up. Layla is not a sympathetic character, I could not warm to her at all. She makes some very questionable choices, and comes across as cold and unfeeling. There is way too much introspection and navel- gazing for my taste. Not for me this one, sorry. A DNF. I will not transfer this review to book sales outlets as I did not finish the book.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

Can we all just agree that the cover for this book is absolutely stunning?

This book is definitely a slow burn- but not in a romance aspect. Just stick with it because about the middle of the book you find yourself intertwined in the lives of Layla and her family, and the secrets that have been hidden since childhood. Even though the ending left me wanting more it's only because Layla's new story is just beginning.

It's a book about family dynamics and broken dreams. It's about yearning for something more but not getting satisfaction from what you think will bring you happiness. It's about fractured lives and the inability to see what's right in front of you.

Layla bared her soul to us, and her story hit home for me. I found myself in tears throughout the novel because of my connection to a fictional character who grew up on the opposite side of the planet. This should tell you how beautiful Megan Rogers' writing is, and I can't wait to read more from her in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for sending me the E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Heart Is A Star

Megan Rogers delivers a captivating debut novel that explores the complexities of midlife, set against the backdrop of Queensland and Tasmania, Australia.

The book's striking cover first caught my eye, and from the opening pages, I was hooked, unable to stop reading.  Layla Byrnes, an anesthesiologist, wife, and mother of two, is juggling many roles and struggling to manage the demands of everyday life.  The novel beautifully portrays both the highs and the struggles of Layla's existence, making me wish she could pause, breathe, and focus on her own well-being.  Amid a work suspension, a crumbling marriage, a demanding lover, and an unstable mother, Layla is also unraveling a family secret tied to her father's past.  The story shifts between the present and Layla's childhood, exploring her relationships with family and friends.

This emotional narrative deeply moved me, particularly because Layla's complicated relationship with her mother mirrored my own experiences as an adult daughter dealing with a mother's unpredictable love and the rippling effect of unresolved trauma carried into adulthood.  This engrossing novel will resonate with readers because at one point in our lives, we have failed at love in varying degrees and there are elements of every woman's life in Layla's story—whether it’s love, loss, or personal struggles.

Trigger warnings for sensitive topics in the book.

Favorite Quotes:
ᥫ᭡  "We Iive a double life. The outer life, which is the one we observe at airports across dinner tables, at school pickups and basketball practice.  And then, the one beneath.  The secret, passionate, inside-our-skin lives; the intense life that no one else sees."

ᥫ᭡  "The trick is to realize that the sadness and the longing and the grief and the tragedies, they shouldn't tarnish; together they should fill things in.  Nothing is ever one thing or the other anyway.  Good or bad.  You have to let the joys and tragedies coexist.  And I think that if you can do that, if you can manage to forge ahead, allowing the things in your life to not be tainted by the truth but to get colored in and to become more tangible, then you will live a three-dimensional life.  You will get to the last moments knowing at least that you lived and saw everything fully."

ᥫ᭡  "But I have also had to face that there are things we often know but choose not to."
"..Hazy eyes might be necessary for a marriage, and maybe motherhood, but blind eyes can surely only cause harm."

ᥫ᭡  "..maybe real intimacy, it says, is being able to reveal to someone everything you believe to be unlovable and to have them love you more.  There is a difference, I think, between relationships born from expectations, those born from loneliness, and those born from intimacy."

ᥫ᭡  "I don't think complications, are a good enough reason to close the door on something that feels this right."

ᥫ᭡  "Sometimes, when you spend years going down one track, it's very hard to turn around and walk another way."


Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Central Avenue Publishing and the author, Megan Rogers for the complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Dark literary women’s fiction. It’s beautifully written with a lot of dark themes at play. Please be advised of multiple triggers and don’t go in blind. This is a wonderful piece that I expect to see future generations study.

# The Heart Is a Star
# 2/28/2025 ~ 3/1/2025
# 4.0 / 5.0

I couldn’t really get into this book. It felt really slow moving and didn’t keep me engaged. I typically don’t dnf but I did for this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for an advanced copy to honestly review.

Megan Rogers’ The Heart is a Star is a poignant and lyrical exploration of midlife, family trauma, and self-discovery. Through the lens of Layla Byrnes, an overburdened anesthesiologist navigating a crumbling marriage, motherhood, and a volatile affair, Rogers crafts a deeply introspective narrative that resonates with emotional authenticity.

The novel’s catalyst—Layla’s mother cryptically revealing that there is something Layla needs to know about her beloved father—sets the stage for a journey into the wilds of Tasmania and the deeper wilderness of family secrets. The tension between Layla and her histrionic, self-destructive mother is palpable, capturing the exhausting push-and-pull of caregiving and unresolved childhood wounds.

Rogers’ prose is rich and immersive, effortlessly weaving between the external and internal landscapes of Layla’s life. The novel does not offer easy resolutions, instead embracing the complexity of identity, memory, and generational trauma. Layla’s struggle to reconcile the myths of her past with the reality she uncovers is both heart-wrenching and profoundly human.

For readers who appreciate character-driven narratives with literary depth, The Heart is a Star delivers an evocative and deeply absorbing meditation on the messiness of midlife and the resilience required to confront one’s own truths. Megan Rogers proves herself a compelling voice in contemporary fiction, crafting a novel that lingers long after the final page.