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warghast's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
queerlitloft's review
5.0
A stunning new romance by debut author Ally McGuire sees a beautiful tale of love, and possibilities brought to life with finesse and pizazz.
Where the Heart Leads is a fantastically well written story centering on Finn Montoya - a highly successful and yet equally unknown writer, and Angie Davis - single mum and celebrity superstar. For her own safety Finn does everything she can to stay off the radar, Angie meanwhile is never far from the limelight much to her daughter Luna's consternation. When Finn spots Luna on the verge of panic amidst a hive of paparazzi, Finn doesn't hesitate to step in and befriend the teenager. A move which might just change all of their lives in unimaginable ways.
As romance novels go Where the Heart Leads is right up there with the best of the best. The author pays intricate detail to the smallest of points from Luna being vegetarian to the origin of Finn's pen name. The continuity of these finer aspects is on point and as a result I found myself able to become deeply immersed in the story.
The shining star of this debut novel however, is the characters. I truly fell in love with the trio that is Finn, Angie and Luna; the characters were so well developed that their interactions just flowed off the page. I'm sad to have left them behind, they felt special to me, and it's rare that I find myself saying that when it comes to a pure romance story, even more so when one of the characters is a kid! And what a kid; Luna is such a great individual character, full of teenage wit and humour that she uses to navigate her vulnerabilities. Her friendship with Finn is genuine and heart- warming; demonstrating that love shows itself in many valid and valuable forms.
Light touches of mystery surrounding Finn's character does not detract from the romantic core running through the heart of this story. And if you're paying attention you might also feel the vibes emanating from the sisterhood of strong women who are interweaved as secondary characters throughout this powerhouse of a story.
Without a doubt this is definitely a book which will make it into my Top Five of 2023. It's a superb slow burn, opposites attract story where the author has not only successfully produced a gorgeous love story but created characters that readers can fall in love with too.
I'm extremely excited to see Ally McGuire's future novels as they're surely set to sparkle given Where the Heart Leads is already riding high amongst the stars.
I received an ARC of this book from Butterworth Books in exchange for an honest review.
Where the Heart Leads is a fantastically well written story centering on Finn Montoya - a highly successful and yet equally unknown writer, and Angie Davis - single mum and celebrity superstar. For her own safety Finn does everything she can to stay off the radar, Angie meanwhile is never far from the limelight much to her daughter Luna's consternation. When Finn spots Luna on the verge of panic amidst a hive of paparazzi, Finn doesn't hesitate to step in and befriend the teenager. A move which might just change all of their lives in unimaginable ways.
As romance novels go Where the Heart Leads is right up there with the best of the best. The author pays intricate detail to the smallest of points from Luna being vegetarian to the origin of Finn's pen name. The continuity of these finer aspects is on point and as a result I found myself able to become deeply immersed in the story.
The shining star of this debut novel however, is the characters. I truly fell in love with the trio that is Finn, Angie and Luna; the characters were so well developed that their interactions just flowed off the page. I'm sad to have left them behind, they felt special to me, and it's rare that I find myself saying that when it comes to a pure romance story, even more so when one of the characters is a kid! And what a kid; Luna is such a great individual character, full of teenage wit and humour that she uses to navigate her vulnerabilities. Her friendship with Finn is genuine and heart- warming; demonstrating that love shows itself in many valid and valuable forms.
Light touches of mystery surrounding Finn's character does not detract from the romantic core running through the heart of this story. And if you're paying attention you might also feel the vibes emanating from the sisterhood of strong women who are interweaved as secondary characters throughout this powerhouse of a story.
Without a doubt this is definitely a book which will make it into my Top Five of 2023. It's a superb slow burn, opposites attract story where the author has not only successfully produced a gorgeous love story but created characters that readers can fall in love with too.
I'm extremely excited to see Ally McGuire's future novels as they're surely set to sparkle given Where the Heart Leads is already riding high amongst the stars.
I received an ARC of this book from Butterworth Books in exchange for an honest review.
abbrosy's review
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
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