The Heirloom

by Jessie Rosen, Carlotta Brentan (Narrator)

AN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER

The answer to the biggest question of her life lies in someone else’s past.

Shea Anderson’s beloved Nonna had endless rules for a happy, healthy avoid owls, never put a hat on a bed, and never, ever accept a marriage proposal that comes with an heirloom ring. Happily ever after is hard enough without bad karma in the mix.

Naturally, panic sets in when Shea’s boyfriend, John, proposes with an heirloom ring. Yes is her answer, but Nonna’s warning sets Shea on a mission to ensure the ring contains forever She will find its previous owners wherever they may be. With the help of her long-suffering big sister and a nosy journalist eager for a big story, Shea embarks on a journey that takes her from Los Angeles and New York to Italy and Portugal.

Sophisticated, cinematic, and full of lively observations, The Heirloom is a diamond-sharp read for everyone who’s ever tried to make their own good luck.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Travel, Audiobook, Italy, Adult

Audible Audio

First published May 7, 2024

About the author

Jessie Rosen is a writer, producer, and performer. She grew up in New Jersey, attended
Boston College in Massachusetts, and began her writing career in New York. Her live
storytelling series Sunday Night Sex Talk has received national attention. She was
named one of “The 25 Best Bloggers, 2013 Edition” by TIME magazine for her blog 20-
Nothings, which was also named in “The 100 Best Websites for Women” and “The Top
10 Best Websites for Millennial Women” in 2013 by Forbes.
Rosen is the oldest of four girls, which gives her a special window into the minds
of teenagers. She now lives in Los Angeles, where she’s working on film and television
projects, as well as her next novel.

Reviews

[shereadswith_coffee]

What could be better than a “proposal” with an heirloom ring? Nothing…unless it’s a superstition of yours. John proposed to Shea with an heirloom engagement ring even though he knew she was afraid of the karma that might come from the love story behind the ring. Author Jessie Rosen came up with the most creative novel “The Heirloom” which takes Shea on a search to find the rings owner. She had to know the “ love story” behind this vintage ring. Holding onto her dreams in hopes of a happy married life, she had to seek out the rings past.

Along with her sister and a journalist who was looking for his next big story, Shea traveled from Los Angeles to NY, Italy, Portugal then Boston. On a wild goose chase through a beautiful countryside, there might be more they discover than just the history behind the ring. Shea’s Nonna had instilled her heritage and her own superstitions that held steadfast in Shea’s heart, including the energy that can come from a piece of heirloom jewelry, good or bad.

Thoroughly entertaining with a plot that had me so engaged I didn’t want to put it down. For those who have been to Italy, they will really connect with the names of hotels, places and things. A beautiful story about love, doubt, growth, family and trust, it has it all.

Thanks to Putnam Books and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Jordyn Roesler | Sorry, Booked Solid · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel very meh about this... on one hand, I think it's was an overall attention-keeping story that felt similar to me to Rebecca Serle's books. Unfortunately I just found it SO UNBELIEVABLE of a premise to begin with. Maybe it's just me, but I don't see proposals with heirloom rings (or even knowing if a ring is new or used or passed down) being a common-enough occurrence to have a full pre-conceived superstition around. And maybe it's also just me, but NEVER WOULD I EVER go on such a wild goose chase to track down people I know nothing about. It's definitely a me thing, but I do think having buy-in to those two ideas is a prerequisite to enjoying this book. If that's you, then I do recommend it and think it's an interesting story into the history of multiple couples who were engaged with the same ring. But if you're skeptical from the synopsis, then I think I'd recommend steering clear.

[Janet | purrfectpages · Rating 3 out of 5]

“So little is within our control, dear one. All you can do is allow life to live through you and make yourself strong enough to be ready for whatever it brings.”

Shea grew up believing in superstition. She knows her worries don’t always make sense logically, but she can’t shake the what ifs if she ignores the signs. In fact, she’s even carried one specific superstition over into her love life- should she ever get married, she will never accept a ring someone else wore.

So imagine Shea’s surprise when her long time boyfriend, John proposes with an heirloom ring. She wants to accept John’s proposal, but her alarm bells start ringing, leaving her reluctant to accept the ring itself. Although John knew this quirk about Shea, he never really took the time to think about how serious she was about it. This is how Shea decides to look into the past life of the jewelry, setting her on a whirlwind journey across continents.

It turns out, not only does the ring have an interesting history, but the ring’s journey takes her on an unexpected mission of self discovery. But as time passes, John grows more impatient back at home. Now Shea has to make a decision. Does John get to put a ring on it, or will Shea’s insecurities be the only thing to ring true?

The Heirloom’s premise is unique and engaging. Being somewhat superstitious myself, I love reading stories about others who feel the same. Where the book fell short, however, is with Shea’s obsession with the ring’s origin, making some selfish and questionable judgment calls along the way. While I’ll never completely understand what compelled John to pick the ring he did, I couldn’t help but want better for him.

Author Jessie Rosen made an ambitious attempt with The Heirloom, but knock on wood, her next effort will indeed be the charm.

[Dani · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 65%

Thank you Netgalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review! I was so excited for this book. It was an interesting storyline that I’ve never read before and the setting seemed like it was going to be beautiful. The story follows Shea on her journey to Italy and Portugal to find the history behind her heirloom engagement ring. The writing was very easy to read making the first 40% of this book very enjoyable. The setting, as predicted, was beautiful.

About 50% into the book, the twists in the plot started occurring. I started to not like where this plot was heading. I had to DNF at 65% based on multiple plot twists I don’t like and where the book was heading. I will refrain from giving additional detail as to not spoil anything in the plot.

However, while the twists weren't something I could enjoy, I can see how people would like this book. This book takes place in Italy and Portugal in hopes to find the history behind her heirloom engagement ring. The setting alone making this book enjoyable. While I was intrigued to find out the history behind the ring, the twists were nothing something I could enjoy and made me lose interest in rooting for the characters. If you go into this book, I would recommend to go in not taking her superstition too seriously.

[Cassie Dyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mostly enjoyed this book but struggled to relate to the “superstitious” beliefs of the main character. I liked the journey of learning about the heirloom even if a bit lengthy, but the burning desire for answers didn’t pique my interest much. I also was a little disappointed in the ending, I was interested to see it end differently than it did based on how some of the events unfolded throughout the story.

All in all, it was a good story with a fun journey along the way.

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Desiree Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

For crying out loud , HUGE gay drop at 43%. 🤦‍♀️ 😭

September 4, 2025

[Sarah Kruszka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my kind of romance. It is not over the top with being mushy or unrealistic. There there was so much adventure in the book. I have never been to Italy but this book made me want to drop everything and go.

What would you do if you learned you were gifted an heirloom ring? Do you believe there is the history of each love story woven in or do you reset the ring’s story?

Shea takes an adventure to find the love story behind her engagement ring. The beauty of learning the story of others, we learn about ourselves.

I recommend picking this one up.

Thank you Net Galley for the EARC!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one! I loved the travel aspect, the generational family aspect, and the relationships (romantic and not) that grew throughout the story. Super solid debut! I'll be on the lookout for more from Jessie Rosen. Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!

[Lit_Vibrations · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. The author crafted this highly enjoyable, adventurous, I believe in soulmates but I’m also superstitious romance. It was witty, heartfelt, and even had a few unexpected twists. Exploring themes of love, fate, self-discovery, and relationship security this book was absolutely unpredictable.

When John proposes to Shea with an heirloom ring her answer was yes. But that yes also came with a bit of unease and worry. Her Nonna had many rules surrounding superstitions one in particular was to NEVER accept an heirloom ring. To ensure her marriage proposal came with a happily ever after Shea sets out on a journey across the country to make sure there’s no bad karma in the mix.

The premise of the book is what made me love it so much. It was a little far fetched for Shea to travel to a million different places trying to trace the ring back to the original owner. But that’s what I enjoyed the most because sometimes people do the craziest things for love. In Shea’s instance she was trying to ensure her future was secure with John.

I know I’m not the only one who thought she was going to fall for Graham during that trip. When they started to get a little too close I was like come on Shea you’re losing focus. Then the kiss, the doubting, and confessing‼️ She was gonna ruin her relationship before the ring had a chance.

Overall, this was so worth the read. The characters are flawed but also realistic and I thought it had the perfect ending. It lost half a star because it began to drag a bit but overall the book is very engaging and I highly recommend. Special thanks to the author & @putnambooks for my gifted e-ARC‼️

Rating: 4.5/5⭐️

[Zibby Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a cinematic and charming story about a deeply superstitious woman named Shea and her international adventure to uncover the story behind her vintage engagement ring. Shea strongly believes that vintage engagement rings hold the karma of past relationships. This belief leads her on a whirlwind adventure around the world and throughout time to discover the ring's origin and understand her anxieties about marriage.

The book takes readers on an emotional and global journey from New York to Italy, Portugal, and Boston as Shea learns about the three previous ring owners and their stories. Along the way, she meets Graham, a young reporter who wants to write a story about her search. Ultimately, the novel is about self-understanding and personal growth.

To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://zibbymedia.com/blogs/transcri...

[LESLIE J (mrsj_readsbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to GP Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for my complimentary eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I liked The Heirloom until I didn’t. The first 40% is light and fun and full of beautiful places. At about 60% it becomes a bit tedious and therapy driven (if that makes sense).

I understand wanting to know the background of
the ring, but all the superstition on Shea’s part was a bit off putting for me. You cannot put more value in a piece a jewelry than you can on a persons love.

I was with John on this one. He understands up until a certain point and then he’s done.

[tawny•dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve been excited for this book for months. The premise sounded like the perfect summer read. I was expecting picturesque ocean villages, and a little dose of self-reflection, sprinkled in with romance and pasta. Maybe a little Mama Mia meets a Carley Fortune book. Unfortunately, once the story gets going, the only thing I enjoyed was the setting. It’s mostly about grief and our MC, Shea never redeemed herself in my opinion. Her behavior goes well beyond superstitious and felt more selfish or even narcissistic. (Also, I felt like she mentioned she’s from California or LA a lot. An unnecessary amount. I didn’t understand if this was a brag or ??? ) I’m really bummed this story went the way it did- it could have been great.
2.5 ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this advanced copy, in exchange for my unbiased review!

[Haylie Garner · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun and captivating journey of discovering the past of one Heirloom engagement ring. It brought the main character, Shea, on a self discovering journey of why she felt such a strong superstition against being proposed to by a ring that was worn in another marriage. She didn't know the backstory of the Heirloom ring that was given to her on her engagement day, which led her to look into the past of the ring. I thought her own character development was beautiful. and of course I love a good Happily Ever After.

[Jaden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounding up from a 2.5 for Goodreads. A quick read but I still found myself skimming some to get through it. It was a good idea and I loved the setting however the characters fell flat for me and it’s not a story that’ll stick with me.

[Amina Hujdur · Rating 2 out of 5]

Totalno neuvjerljiva priča. Iritirala ne od prve do posljednje stranice.

[Markie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Heirloom" by Jessie Rosen is a charming and whimsical contemporary novel that follows Shea Anderson's quest to ensure a happily ever after after her boyfriend, John, proposes with an heirloom ring that comes with a warning from her beloved Nonna. Shea's journey takes her on a delightful adventure as she searches for the previous owners of the ring to ensure it carries "forever energy."

Nonna's quirky rules for a happy life guide Shea's actions, and the heirloom ring's potential bad karma triggers Shea's determination to uncover its history. Her mission leads her to team up with her big sister and an inquisitive journalist, embarking on a journey that spans locations like Los Angeles, New York, Italy, and Portugal.

The story unfolds with sophistication and cinematic flair, blending humor, romance, and a touch of magic. As Shea encounters various characters and navigates different places, readers are treated to a vibrant tapestry of observations and experiences. The novel's sharp wit and lively narrative style make it an engaging read for anyone who enjoys stories of personal growth, self-discovery, and the quest for good luck.

Throughout "The Heirloom," Shea's character undergoes transformation and growth as she faces challenges, embraces adventure, and learns valuable lessons about love, family, and taking control of her own destiny. The novel captures the essence of hope, positivity, and the pursuit of happiness in a unique and heartwarming way.

Jessie Rosen's storytelling skillfully weaves together elements of romance, mystery, and self-exploration, making "The Heirloom" a delightful choice for readers who appreciate heartwarming tales with a sprinkle of magic and a dash of humor. The journey to ensure the ring's "forever energy" becomes a metaphor for Shea's own journey to create a meaningful and fulfilling life.

In conclusion, "The Heirloom" is a diamond-sharp read that invites readers to accompany Shea Anderson on her quest for love, luck, and a happily ever after. With its witty prose, endearing characters, and a touch of whimsy, the novel offers a delightful escape and a reminder of the beauty and adventure that life has to offer.

[Shannon AnneShirley_and_me · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will be honest, I struggled with this book and stopped reading halfway through. It captivated me in the beginning with an interesting premise of finding the background of a vintage engagement ring. But it seemed like the story went on and on. I felt bad for the fiancé and grew to not like the main character, Shea. Shea goes off gallivanting all over Europe liking for the previous wearers of the ring while her fiancé is at home. Oh and wait…twist …another man (a journalist) goes with her. I didn’t like the direction the storyline was going so I stopped reading. I think this book had a good idea but unfortunately it fell flat for me.

Thanks Netgally for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Kate Laack · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the premise of this book - a woman becomes obsessed with the history of the previous owners of her heirloom engagement ring and travels to Europe to learn their stories. The travel hooked me and the settings through Italy and Portugal were great.

Here’s where it didn’t work for me, though. The entire premise hinges on two pieces of information about the main characters. 1. Shea, the female protagonist, clings to an old family superstition from her grandmother that a man shouldn’t propose with heirloom jewelry because it holds the karma of past wearers…a credo she names as one of the four most important things to know about her. And 2. Her fiancé, John, completely ignores this information and proposes with an heirloom ring anyway, thus sending Shea into a personal meltdown/doom spiral that makes her question (and then risk) their ENTIRE relationship.

This made the book a hard sell. I wish she could have, say, found a note connected to the ring somehow, or maybe found an inscription inside the band that drove her to want to know more. The fact that the story hinged on Shea choosing superstition over a real relationship, and John somehow believing this superstition, however silly, wouldn’t actually matter to her come proposal time, made them difficult characters to root for!

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, I absolutely loved the concept. It's interesting thinking of how many different stories different pieces of jewelry and heirlooms and general can have.

The romance aspect of this wasn't my favorite, but this was mostly okay because Shea's relationship(s) took a backseat to the exploration of the story of the ring. However, due to the focus being so much on the ring and its story, there's a lot of exposition via dialogue at times, which may not be for everyone.

And, I've got to say, I wasn't a fan of John at the beginning- what kind of boyfriend proposes with the exact type of ring they were told explicitly not to get? His justification felt pretty flimsy to me, as this was obviously something important to Shea.

But, I did like where Shea's relationship ultimately ended up.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Rachel Auer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the writing of this book from the very beginning! It hooked me, it made me feel things I didn't expect, and really got me thinking about marriage and what people want out of it and what it means for other people.

As someone who was married less than a year ago, this was interesting to hear from the perspective of a wife. Hearing what Shea wanted or though she wanted from a marriage really showed just how not ready she was at the beginning. But the journey she went on gave her the answers she needed and proved that love can be strong enough if you work on yourself.

I'm giving it 4 stars only because there were some convenient silly things that come with fiction that I just didn't really believe, but I loved the whole experience of this book.

*I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway*

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moving women's fiction story about a recently engaged woman's superstitions around heirloom wedding rings and her determination to track down the history of the new to her engagement ring she received from her fiance.

Full of family secrets, strong sisterhood bonds, a complicated love story and enviable travel around Italy and Europe. This was a really heartfelt, easy to read novel that I enjoyed immensely and it made me want to book a trip to Italy ASAP.

Great on audio narrated by Carlotta Brentan and perfect for fans of books like Jo Piazza's The inheritance or Rebecca Serle's One Italian summer. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Danica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zdravo,

Ova knjiga je pravo ljetno štivo – lagana, opuštajuća i savršena za čitanje na plaži.
Stil pisanja je jednostavan i lako se prati, a radnja mi se zaista dopala. Autor/ica je postigao/la dobar balans između opisa i dijaloga, što priču čini dinamičnom i ugodnom za čitanje!

Ipak, nedostajalo mi je malo više napetosti i neizvjesnosti, onog osjećaja iščekivanja što će se dalje dogoditi.

U svakom slučaju, od mene imate preporuku – ako tražite lagano i zabavno štivo za opuštanje, ova knjiga je odličan izbor!

Danica 😊🩷

[Amy Dolce · Rating 2 out of 5]

The entire premise is unrealistic and unbelievable.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the pacing was a little off but besides that it was good!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who loves antique/heirloom jewelry, I was immediately hooked by the concept. And the fact that I recently spent two weeks falling in love with Italy was enough to bump this book to the top of my to-read list.

There's no question that The Heirloom requires a bit of suspension of disbelief (lots of things had to happen in exactly the right way for Shea to pursue the history of her ring). That said, the author pulled me in quickly and had me fully invested in both the ring's history and Shea's journey to figure out her own future.

While The Heirloom isn't exactly a feminist manifesto, I appreciated the stories woven throughout about strong, dynamic women and the choices (sometimes unconventional) that they make at pivotal moments in their lives.

Now please excuse me while I start researching trips to Portugal...

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Ashley Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis: This is essentially a story about love in several different ways. Our main character, Shea, is proposed to with an Heirloom ring. The only problem? She told her future husband she never wanted am heirloom ring because of the bad luck that could have come from previous relationships. The story unfolds as she traverses different countries and cities to explore the history of this Heirloom ring. Who were the previous owners? What was their relationship like? 

Most of this book takes place in Italy and I absolutely loved the setting. The writing makes you feel like you are there. I really enjoyed going through Shea's journey to find the history of this ring. You meet many different characters who each have their own unique personality. From her sister to her boyfriend to the tag along journalist and many many more, the story just keeps getting better. 

This story was pretty unpredictable to me and I loved that. I didn't really know what was going to happen next it where the story was going. I think the best part of this book is that the feelings in it just feel so real. Maybe traversing around the country to find the history of a ring isn't reality, but the concepts surrounding love, hard decisions, and family definitely are.

At some points there were just a few too many characters to keep track of and it took me out of the story a bit. 

I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to others! It's a quick read but it's not all feel good romance, it's a tough look at life and love, which makes it feel real.

Thank you netgalley and Penguin Group Putnan for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun idea for a story! I think a lot of people fixate on their superstitions and it was interesting to read Shea’s absolute obsession with hers. It was fun to travel with her through multiple cities and countries to track down the history of her heirloom engagement ring. The cast of characters were all exciting and vibrant.

Two main things that took me out. One was the ending: it both fizzled out and felt abrupt. There was a mostly consistent pace as Shea zig-zagged in pursuit of her truth, and then she arrived home in LA and just got stuck. We had a time jump explained away as “I read a lot of self-help books”, then some unexpected family closure. After that, it ends. It was frustrating that this book, which felt like a whirlwind for 80% of it, slid to a stop.

Second was that Shea ended up with John. I liked that she learned more about herself and why she had such strong opinions on love & superstitions. But because we got an abrupt ending and then another time jump into the epilogue, we didn’t see any of the growing Shea did, so her ending up with John wasn’t satisfying.

Overall I enjoyed so much of this book but was disappointed by the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jessie Rosen, and Putnam for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessie DeLoach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who knows me knows that I love pretty much anything involving Italy, so I had to read this as soon as I got the chance! Shea’s boyfriend, John, proposes with an heirloom ring triggering a series of events that spans continents trying to uncover the ring’s original owner. Shea wants to put her superstition to rest at last, but every detail she uncovers seems to only make her more unsure…

I loved the first half of this book and I found myself lost in Italy reminiscing of my own time there with my sister. The writing is picturesque and the quest is fun and entertaining. Unfortunately, it comes at John’s expense and by the halfway point I honestly felt bad for the way he was treated. This man had the patience of a saint. Shea made some questionable decisions and had to learn a lot of hard lessons on the way to her ending, but I fell back into like with this book just in time for the end.

This was light on the romance and more just contemporary fiction but was worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Putnam, and Jessie Rosen for the chance to read this early in exchange for an honest review!

[Lorin (paperbackbish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Thank you G.P. Putnam's Sons for my free ARC of The Heirloom by Jessie Rosen — available May 7!

Read this if you:
🍕 daydream about traveling (or moving!) to Italy
🐈‍⬛ have superstitions that other people tease you about
🥂 need a cute, lighthearted contemporary fiction read

Shea's boyfriend has just proposed, which is great! Except, he's down on a knee holding out an heirloom engagement ring, which Shea's nonna explicitly warned her was bad karma for entering a marriage. Panicking, Shea alights on a last-second trip to Italy with her sister, hoping to hunt down the ring's previous owner and calm her fears about bad energy. A pain-in-the-ass journalist will help Shea along, but she'll end up stirring up much more than just the past with her dogged pursuit of answers.

This was a super-cute quick read for me, laced with a ton of Italian superstitions and family traditions that I could easily relate to! Shea as a character is a bit frustrating, but I think this made her more realistic. We can't always explain things we feel strongly about, which was clearly part of her problem. I absolutely loved all the stories of the ring's former owners, and I think it would be so fun to do something like this! Fortunately though, my husband did not propose with an heirloom so our marriage is safe 🤣

I can't say I loved Shea's choice at the end, but it was probably the right one. Definitely recommend this one when you need a fast, uncomplicated read to speed through!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

[Graeson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Such a promising and intriguing premise that unfortunately fell flat for me.

I was so excited to start this. I was expecting Letters to Juliet vibes (which is one of my absolute favorite movies), but this is *not* a romance despite it being rooted in marriage. This is a story of trauma and grief and deep-rooted feelings.

I think all of the characters were problematic in their own ways. Did it make them more human? Yes. Was it way too dramatic in some parts for me? Yes.

I liked the twists and turns (even though there was probably one too many), but the twist about halfway through (if you read it, you’ll know) just made me feel so, so icky. I figured it was heading that way… but it’s my absolute least favorite trope and I HATED it and how it played out. It was also lowkey useless? I think there could have been others ways to come to the conclusion without including that plotline.

I did like the ending, though. The full-circle moment of self-realization and love was nice, but that was one of the only moments I kind of enjoyed.

And finally - thank you so much to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!