Review of Hearts We Leave Behind

[Theresa Moffitt]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Hearts We Leave Behind" by Myriana Merkovic.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Hearts We Leave Behind by Myriana Merkovic is a captivating novel about complex family relationships. The story focuses on the Hansen family. They live in a rural area of Pennsylvania. The three Hansen daughters couldn’t be more different from one another. Stella is the oldest sister, and she is a competitive over-achiever. She is constantly striving to be the best at everything she does. She is anxious to leave her country roots and move to a big city. Daisy, the middle sister, is loving and supportive. She enjoys living in the country and is married to her high school sweetheart. Willow is the youngest sister, and she has always acted as the peacemaker in the family.

When Stella gets a scholarship to Oxford, she is anxious to join the English upper class. She is devastated when she doesn’t fit in due to her country background. When she returns home, she lashes out at her family and leaves Pennsylvania for good. She cuts off all contact with them and starts a new life in New York City. When a sudden health scare drastically impacts her, she realizes the importance of family. After eighteen years without any contact, is it too late to make amends?

This book takes a fascinating look at complex family relationships, especially between siblings. It focuses on love and forgiveness. The sisters are competitive and argue; however, there is still love at the core of their relationships. Like most families, each sibling has followed their own path in life. They have different interests and relationships that are separate from their immediate family. Despite their differences, there is a common bond that exists between them.

Each chapter is told from the point of view of a different character. That is what I liked most about the book. It was a unique way to understand the concerns and perspective of each character. Readers learn their backstories in their own words. Their concerns are described realistically. For example, when Stella is in the hospital, readers can understand how worried she is about her health. The author did an excellent job of conveying the complex emotions of each character. There was nothing I disliked about this book.

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy novels about the complicated relationships that exist in families. There were less than ten errors in the book, so I believe it was professionally edited. For the reasons stated, I give this book a rating of four out of four stars. It was a fascinating story that I found difficult to put down. Each character was unique and added to the story. For these reasons, it deserves nothing less than a perfect score.

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Hearts We Leave Behind
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[Tarie07]

I know all about siblings with totally different personalities. I would love to see how things turn out for the Hansen family. Thanks for the informative review.

[Pandora10]

After reading the review on this book, I am going to check it out. I like the fact that it is written from the perspective of several characters in the Hansen family. It appears to be an interesting story that delves into complex human relationships within a family.

[Katarina Radovcic]

Differences can push people apart sometimes and it's a whole new situation if it happens within family. I really want to know the story of the Hansen family!
Can't wait to read the book!

[Rishi_reviews]

The story seems quite interesting and I would like to know what Stella finally did. Did she meet her family or did she abandoned them for good? I'm really curious about that. Thanks for the review.

[Purplesturv]

Blood is certainly thicker than water. I wonder what it was like for the family to lose touch with a member for that long. I would like to read this fascinating book to know how Stella got her family back if she did.

[Ruphus Tom]

the story seems so fascinating it entails how family structures are design, Stella had a good family culture and I would like to read more to see how she pull the entire family together at the end.