The Key to My Heart- A Novel by Lia Louis
A heartwarming novel about hope after loss as a young widow receives mysterious messages of love from the must-buy author (Jodi Picoult) of Eight Perfect Hours. Sparkly and charming Natalie Fincher has it all-a handsome new husband, a fixer-upper cottage of her dreams, and the opportunity to tour with the musical she's spent years writing. But when her husband suddenly dies, all her hopes and dreams instantly disappear. Two and a half years later, Natalie is still lost. She works, sleeps (well, as much as the sexually frustrated village foxes will allow), and sees friends just often enough to allay their worries, but her life is empty. And she can only bring herself to play music at a London train station's public piano where she can be anonymous. She's lost motivation, faith in love, in happiness...in everything. But when someone begins to mysteriously leave the sheet music for her husband's favorite songs at the station's piano, Natalie begins to feel a sense of hope and excitement for the first time. As she investigates just who could be doing this, Natalie finds herself on an unexpected journey toward newfound love for herself, for life, and maybe, for a special someone.
- Suggested age range- Adult
- Format- Paperback
- Dimensions- 5.2" W x 8.2" H x 1.1" D
- Genre- Fiction
- Publisher- Atria/Emily Bestler Books, Publication date- 12-06-2022
- Page count- 352
- ISBN- 9781668001264
Web ID: 17674579
Little sad, but beautiful & lovely story
Natalie Fincher thought she had a pretty good life with her lovely husband, Russ, working a job she loved with music, and a happy life until the day she lost the love of her life, and it all changed. This story followed, Natalie as she struggled with leaving behind the past of her life with her husband, and wasn’t fully ready to move forward. Along the way, Natalie comes across mysterious music sheets left her her whee she plays at a train station, but the mystery continues with the music being music she and Russ only knew. A story with loss, grief, and finding a way to move pass losing a loved one is the journey of Natalie’s story. Natalie’s story was intriguing despite the underlying sadness and grief she struggled with through out the story. I went into this book not knowing what to expect (as per usual) and slowly with each chapter, I found myself getting more interested behind the mystery of who was leaving the music sheets for Natalie. Now, it’s one thing to find music sheets at an abandoned piano at a train station, but the fact that the music sheets were specifically for Natalie in things only she and her late husband knew about?! That was pretty mysterious and fascinating. Natalie tried to find out who was the one leaving her the music and in a way it left her feeling hopeful that MAYBE Russ (her late husband) had orchestrated the whole idea, but alas that wasn’t what ended up happening. Natalie wasn’t your typical “happy go lucky” kind of woman, she was a bit pessimistic, but also open minded. Like anyone dealing with the loss of a loved one, everyone moves at their own pace, their own grief taking however long they need (in my opinion). The thing I didn’t like, was one of Natalie’s friends in particular, Lucy who seemed to be pushing Natalie to move on, and the way she went about it just made her unlikable to me. Anyways, back to Natalie, I liked that she wasn’t “perfect”, while she at times kept her grief and true feelings bottles up, there were some moments where did she open up to her sister or even later on to, Tom. I liked Natalie and for some reason she just struck me as interesting. As the story progressed, I really started to like the friendship that Natalie and Tom had. Tom was an interesting man as well to his talents of being a photographer and a handy man to help Natalie and her cottage that was in desperate need of fixing up. Tom was unique and understanding in a way Natalie hadn’t known before. Also, while Tom was able to make Natalie laugh, he was also the one who would be honest with her, even calling her out. We all need someone who’s going to keep us in line and not hold back which was what Tom did for Natalie. Tom and Natalie meeting one another wasn’t planned, it was a spontaneous moment in which they helped one another out, but it paved the way to a lovely friendship. Tom was a lovely man, and I was fully onboard for him being endgame with Natalie. Not going to lie, I went into this book expecting a holiday romance haha I blame the book cover, but that’s on me. This book dealt with some heavy topics such as, loss and grief, but it was written in a way that showed Natalie’s struggles and attempts to move forward. I really did enjoy this book mostly for the way it was easy to read, had a good pace, and I actually liked Natalie and Tom. I loved the friendship between Natalie and Tom and how they understood each other deeply. Seeing the reality of what Natalie was going through after losing Russ was sad, but little by little she found a way to rediscover herself and make amends with not only herself, but her friends and family. This was my first time reading a book by Lia Louise and I think they way she wrote this story was both beautiful and inspiring. I would suggest reading this book as it had an intriguing plot line and lovely moments sprinkled around.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Charming Romance
Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒ The Key to My Heart by Lia Louis is a heartwarming story about one woman’s journey to deal with her grief. I loved this book that followed her journey. Story Recap: Natalie Fincher has it all until she doesn’t anymore. When her husband suddenly dies, all her hopes and dreams die with him. After two years, she’s still struggling with his death and barely finding time to visit with her friends. Now, the only music in her life is when she occasionally plays the piano in a London train station on her way home. When she starts to find pieces of sheet music on the piano in the train station, she is immediately heartened as the music is all pieces that remind her of her husband and he is the only person who knows how special the music was to them. She begins to play with more enthusiasm as she starts to see light at the end of her dark tunnel. But who can be leaving the music for her? And why? My Thoughts: I’m a huge fan of Lia Louis and her latest book did not disappoint. I was quickly immersed in the story and I couldn’t wait to find out who left the music on the piano. Natalie has been stuck in her grief for a couple of years, and nothing seems to help her change until she finds the sheet music on the piano. There were a couple of suspects and I like how Natalie not only tried to find the person leaving the music, but also grew and began to understand that those around her were there to help. This is a heartwarming story that tells a story of grief and friendship and taking a chance. Natalie has a wonderful group of friends who love her, but she has walls built around her to keep them out, and it isn’t until she can let them in and help her heal that she can live a full life. Recommendation: I highly recommend The Key to My Heart to anyone who enjoys heartwarming fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Beautifully Heartfelt Story
4 1/2 stars I have fallen in love with this author's words. I love each book she writes and The Key to My Heart was simply wonderful. The main character, Natalie had everything she wanted until her husband died leaving her adrift in a world that she couldn't navigate on her own. Looking for a way to move forward isn't as easy for Natalie as her friends seem to think it should be. Little things happen that both help her move on and yet hold her back at the same time. She has a chance a new love - - but is it the right fit? She finds new friendships along the way and rediscovers a piece of herself. It's a beautiful and heartfelt story that pulled me in and didn't let go until the last page. This book confirms my belief that Lia Louis is an author whose books I will always find time for. They are truly special. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Moving forward from grief
THE KEY TO MY HEART, by Lia Louis, is a nice, slow-romance that deals with the incredibly heavy topic of grief. Natalie lost her first husband to a biking accident. As expected, this completely upended her life. Still grieving three years later, Natalie is trying to move forward, but then again, doesn't think she needs to move forward when she is still grieving. With the "help" of her friends, she meets Tom at a local pub. They form a fun, easy friendship. And then, of course, it eventually turns into more. I LOVED Eight Hours More by Lia. I think THE KEY TO MY HEART was just as enjoyable, but I did not like how elements of Nat's friendships were handled. I think her friends were toxic at times, yet, Nat also seemed to be oblivious to her friends own problems because she was grieving. The resolution was fast and not as detailed as I wanted it to be considering her friendships were a B plot in the story. This is a tricky subplot to write. Nonetheless, THE KEY TO MY HEART would be a great read for any Lia Louis readers. I'm ready for her next book! Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an e-copy of THE KEY TO MY HEART to review. I rate THE KEY TO MY HEART four out of five stars.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Heartwarmingly Beautiful
As romance readers, we tend to love the big grand gesture. The grovel, the secret getaway, the loud, romantic declaration of love. And yet true romance is found in the minutiae of every day life. It's quieter. Lia Louis captures this like no other. Natalie is absolutely heartbroken. She's frozen in time after losing her husband way too young. Years after the loss, her friends can't bear to see her so sad still and all but force Natalie to go talk to a guy while they are out for girls night. Natalie agrees because she loves her friends and just wants to get away from their pity looks. A great friendship comes from that meeting with the super cute and easygoing Tom. I loved the way that Tom and Natalie become friends. The tiny gestures. The quiet conversations. The way they make one another laugh. So much goodness in this book comes from the friendships within. Natalie's friends and family are there when she works to fix the house that she and her late husband bought to renovate. They encourage her when she meets the charming Joe and begins to consider dating. They listen when Natalie talks about the mystery that surrounds who has started leaving her sheet music at the piano in the train station. Natalie wonders if it could be her late husband sending her messages or someone else altogether. Louis deals with grief and how we grow and change out of that darkness beautifully. I loved seeing Natalie, Joe, Tom, and Tom's mother, Shauna, all grow out of their loss. There is so much vulnerability and strength. Tossed in with lighter moments full of banter and laughter, The Key to My Heart is a perfect blend of all that makes up the joy of life. And there is still the big grand gesture that takes your heart away. Read this. You are sure to love it. Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions here are my own.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Music is the Key
4 music is the key stars Love is a wonderful thing, but what about when your partner dies too young? That is what is facing Natalie Fincher. A widow in her early 30s, she doesn’t know what to do next with her life. Music used to fill her soul, but now she can only play at a community piano in the train station for strangers. She’s still living in the fixer-upper cottage she bought with Russ, but it hasn’t had any fixing up as that was her husband’s dream and plans. She’s drifting along through life. She’s made a few new friends at the train station coffee shop, but she has pushed away her other friends. And now someone is leaving sheet music for Natalie at the community piano. The musical choices seem to be connected to Russ, could it be he arranged it somehow as a gesture before he died? This is definitely a romance but there is a lot of grief to process first. It’s interesting to think about the healing effects of music. Natalie explores this through a music therapy group. It’s also a story of friendship and family. I really liked the character of Tom. Natalie first meets him at a local pub, pushed into talking to him by her friends. They keep running into each other and Tom has a lot of clever nicknames for her – I enjoy that sort of banter in my romances! I admit that I rooted for Natalie and Tom to get together. My very favorite part of the book was near the end and a few tears just happened to fall on my Kindle as my heart melted.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Heartfelt, tear-inducing, and swoon-y!
Even before I knew the title of Lia Louis’ latest book, I was anxious to read it. My third book by the author, The Key to My Heart is everything I knew and hoped it would be. Heartfelt, tear-inducing, and swoon-y. If life would have allowed, I would have read this one in one sitting. For me, Lia Louis can do no wrong! We meet Natalie at a very low point in her life. It’s been almost three years since her husband Russ died and she can’t seem to move on. She’s stuck in the cottage they bought together to restore, something Russ wanted more than she did. She hasn’t been able to make any decisions, still dealing with bad pipes and loud critters. But she hides her sorrow well from her friends, still joining them on nights-out so they won’t worry about her, covering her pain with humor each time they try to fix her up with someone new. Her music career has come to a screeching halt since she’s had a falling out with her best friend and writing partner. She’s been unable to write anything new. Her only musical outlet is playing a public piano at a London train station. When sheet music connected to her past starts to show up in the piano bench, a journey to discover the source takes her down new paths and in surprising directions. I loved all the mentions of music and artists throughout the book, as well, which always makes my music-loving heart happy. Louis does a great job of weaving her stories, making surprising connections while treating her readers with intelligence. She’s a queen at showing instead of telling. I’m always so impressed by her ability to make that happen. Instead of filling early chapters with backstory, she jumps right in, letting her characters reveal their own pasts through their interactions and experiences. The Key to My Heart is packed with wonderfully well-rounded characters. From Natalie’s old friends, who she feels are obsessed with seeing her happy again, to the new friends she makes on her search for answers. I loved every minute of this romance, cheering Natalie on as she struggled to find her new path, finally opening her heart to a new love. It’s impossible for me to pick a favorite Lia Louis book. I’m impressed by each one, from Dear Emmie Blue to Eight Perfect Hours, which is a rare thing. I know The Key to My Heart will stick with me and make my list of favorite books for the year!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Favorite romantic gesture ever!
“CAN YOU REALLY EVER FIND THE ONE, AFTER “THE ONE”? Natalie Fincher was in love with her husband, Russ and in love with their life together and then an accident took him away from her. Two years later she has fixed up nothing in their “fixer upper” cottage, and her friends haven’t succeeded in fixing her up with any handsome strangers in Pubs, either. The only thing that brings her any pleasure is playing the piano in the train station and her Tuesday and Thursday coffee chats, with the train station’s coffee shop manager, Shauna. Then, someone begins leaving sheet music for her under the piano bench, and mysteriously, all of the songs were her husband’s favorites. Is this something that her husband orchestrated before his death? This is a G rated romance story of hope after loss. Everyone knows that romance stories are about the journey, and this one was a bit of a bumpy ride for me. There are MANY conversations about loss and grief, and the humor especially about the about noisy, mating foxes, didn’t hit with me. Of the three Lia Louis books that I have read, this one took the longest to find its WHIMSY! Would Natalie finally open her heart to “notebook guy”-a guy who frequents the coffee shop and is a member of the same “music therapy” group because he knows grief of his own? Or, would it be Tom, a photographer who “played along” with her when her friends tried to set her up with him at one of the Pubs, and who ended up becoming a new friend that she could count on? I was team “Tom”….ooh la la! And, this 3.5 star read got rounded up after I attended his Photography exhibit. In Fact, it was one of my FAVORITE romantic gestures, EVER!!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com