Another poignant work from Lily King, who has tremendous talent for authentically capturing the emotional reality of her protagonists over decades. In Heart the Lover, King shows us how our hearts vividly remember the way long-ago things felt, even when our minds have mixed up or forgotten the factual particulars. If you’ve ever been in love–especially if you’ve ever been deeply in love with a soul-match but were too young to consider a lifelong go of it–this book will be especially meaningful for you. Like Writers & Lovers, Heart the Lover is a delicious, aching, and deep-digging story that will hit home for all readers, but perhaps with more gravity for English majors and creative writers. Seeking catharsis regarding romantic entanglements of your early adulthood? This one’s for you.
Heart the Lover by Lily King, (List Price: $28, Grove Press, 9780802165176, September 2025)
Reviewed by Janet Geddis, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia