The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae by Stephanie Butland

☆☆☆☆☆
Kindle Edition, 432 pages
Published 29 Oct 2019 by St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin
About the Book:
Ailsa Rae is learning how to live. She's only a few months past the heart transplant that - just in time - saved her life. Life should be a joyful adventure. But her relationship with her mother is at breaking point. She knows she needs to find her father.
She's missed so much that her friends have left her behind. She's felt so helpless for so long that she's let polls on her blog make her decisions for her. And now she barely knows where to start on her own. And then there's Lennox. Her best friend and one time lover. He was sick too. He didn't make it. And now she's supposed to face all of this without him. But her new heart is a bold heart. She just needs to learn to listen to it.

I very much enjoyed and highly recommend this page-turner, especially for anyone looking for the perfect romantic read. The story is well-crafted, engaging and extremely credible - as are the multi-faceted characters. I particularly enjoyed the way the story unfolds, being told via switching time frames, cleverly revealing the truth without being predictable and bringing everything to an ending that is satisfying without seeming forced and unlikely.

This book has all the ingredients for a really enjoyable read: it is well written, the plot keeps up the tension throughout, it was believable and it addressed a few issues along the way without being too obvious about it. Stephanie Butland writes with such fluidity, that this novel was an absolute delight to read. The wonderful writing showcased an elaborate web that Ms. Butland wove together beautifully. Ailsa Rae is such a complex individual, and is yet somehow relatable on so many levels. I found myself cheering her on throughout the story. I'm very much looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley, Stephanie Butland and St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

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