Our Review… This is my first novel by Lily King, but it certainly won’t be my last. Heart the Lover carries a beautiful, bittersweet, almost poignant flavour that lingers long after the final page. The story begins when our unnamed narrator meets Sam and Yash, two brilliant students from her 17th-Century Literature class. Best friends living off-campus in the elegant home of a professor on extended leave, they draw her into their intoxicating world of literary debate, rapid-fire banter and hilarious, raucous card games. They affectionately nickname her ‘Jordan’, and before long an irresistible – and impossible love triangle begins to evolve. Years later, ‘Jordan’ appears to be living the brilliant life she once dreamed of. But when an unexpected visitor arrives on her doorstep, she must confront the choices she made and the deceptions that shaped the course of their three lives. With remarkable emotional sensitivity, Lily King captures the intoxicating friendships and the great, impossible loves of youth – and the long shadow they cast across an entire lifetime. Tender, wise and quietly heartbreaking, this is a novel about love and regret, and the fragile, gentle grace of forgiveness. Absolutely gorgeous – reflective, tender and wise – and threaded with wonderful 17th-century literary references that make it an absolute joy to read. I loved it. Review by Nicole @ Great Escape Books
