The Heart Between Us
Two Sisters, One Heart Transplant, and a Bucket List
Ratings1
Average rating3
15
Two Sisters, One Heart Transplant, and a Bucket List
Ratings1
Average rating3
“Lindsay Harrel has penned a charming story that is sure to touch the hearts of her readers. Through the stories of Megan and her sister Crystal, readers get a glimpse of adventure, restoration, conquered fears, and realized dreams. Lindsay will no doubt win readers with this heartfelt story.” —Lauren K. Denton, USA TODAY bestselling author of The Hideaway and Hurricane Season, on The Heart Between Us From award-winning author Lindsay Harrel comes a powerful story of adventure, healing, and learning how to live life to the fullest. Megan Jacobs always wished for a different heart. Her entire childhood was spent in and out of hospitals, sitting on the sidelines while her twin sister Crystal played all the sports, got all the guys, and had all the fun. But even a heart transplant three years ago wasn’t enough to propel Megan’s life forward. She’s still working as a library aide and living with her parents in her small Minnesota hometown, dreaming of the adventure she plans to take “once she’s well enough.” Meanwhile, her sister is a successful architect with a handsome husband and the perfect life—or so Megan thinks. When her heart donor’s parents give Megan their teenage daughter’s journal—complete with an unfulfilled bucket list—Megan connects with the girl she meets between the pages and is inspired to venture out and check off each item. Caleb—a friend from her years in and out of the hospital—reenters her life and pushes her to find the courage to take the leap and begin her journey. She’s thrown for a loop when Crystal offers to join her for reasons of her own, but she welcomes the company and the opportunity to mend their tenuous relationship. As Megan and Crystal check items off the bucket list, Megan fights the fears that have been instilled in her after a lifetime of illness. She must choose between safety and adventure and learn to embrace the heart she’s been given so that she can finally share it with the people she loves most. “A sweet story of sisterhood, familial bonds, sacrificial love, and finding your own identity amidst the storms of life. Poignant with tender moments, as well as laughter, The Heart Between Us is a touching novel that is sure to please.” —Catherine West, author of Where Hope Begins “I love this story of facing our fears. Harrel pens a clever, well-written love story between two sisters, the men in their lives and the dreams of a heart donor. Life is more f letting than we know, and this timeless story reminds us to love well.” —Rachel Hauck, New York Times bestselling author, on The Heart Between Us “The Heart Between Us is an absolute gem of a story. The intriguing premise drew me in from the start, but it was the authentic characters and their relatable struggles that kept me reading. I especially loved getting to travel vicariously through Megan and Crystal! A heart-tugging, not-to-be-missed book from an author who belongs on your keeper shelf.” —Melissa Tagg, author of the Walker Family series
Reviews with the most likes.
Gorgeous cover, compelling premise, and a story full of interest. I was skeptical at first because I don't always like contemporary fiction (it can get so angsty) but the idea of the bucket list was quite an attraction to convince me to read the story.
Overall I did enjoy it. The sisters both had issues and hadn't spent time with each other in years. I liked that they were in a situation where they had to work through the issues in their relationship. I also liked how they took hold and decided to look at life in a new way.
But the bucket list flew by at a dizzying pace and with scant detail at each spot (usually just focus on one or two things in each place, without much context or mention of how they got there); I really wanted more than one chapter at each place. The romance was pretty much all long distance, so it was hard to even count that as part of the plot, even though I wanted the ladies to have happy endings in that respect. And I felt that the constantly changing scenery, framing one new place with one step forward in the sisters' relationship, felt more formulaic than natural. In all, I felt that the scope ended up being a bit ambitious for a regular-length novel and that it tried to be too many things at once. But I did still enjoy it and I loved the resolution at the end.
Content: skinny dipping, scene with heavy married innuendo
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.
