October 2025

HEART THE LOVER by Lily King is the kind of book that you can devour in a sitting. You almost have to do that as it is a truly compulsive read with a lot of heart and soul. It is written in the first person by a narrator who is not named until the very last page. Do not read that page now. Stay here with me.

The narrator starts her story in her senior year of college. Two brilliant students in her 17th-Century Lit class invite her into their world, where intellectual curiosity is keen, and they love banter and late-night card games. They nickname her Jordan, and that is how we think of her throughout the book. They are living in an off-campus house that their professor has vacated while he is on sabbatical. It’s a smart and elegant home, nothing like the single-bed cold dorm room in which Jordan is used to living. 

Sam and Yash love having her around as much as she enjoys being with them. As one might expect, she falls into bed with one of these fellows, the one who is religiously uptight about sex before marriage. By contrast, while she is dealing with Sam’s rules about sex and love, Yash points her in a different direction --- and suddenly the twosomes in this relationship shift. 

Life marches on until readers turn the page and find themselves decades in the future. Jordan is now married and the mother of two young boys. Her husband, who she loves, has built a solid life with her in Maine. But then she gets a visit from her past, which has her rethinking a lot of what she has done, especially one big thing. Life still marches on for Jordan, who does have “what-if” moments, but not the ones you might infer from what I have written so far. I could tell you, but I do not want to spoil the read for you. And then a phone call comes just as Jordan is in crisis with one of her sons. From here, the book’s drama is propulsive, which is why I say you will read it in a sitting. 

Readers will find a connection to another of Lily’s books, WRITERS & LOVERS. When you see that, there will be an “aha” moment. Think of it as a little Easter egg. 

You can see a discussion guide for the book here. I interviewed Lily, so be sure to watch the video or listen to the podcast.