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A Heart of Time
“Time of death...” the doctor said.
I won’t forget that moment I looked over at Ellie—the paleness of her once rosy cheeks, the blue hue coating her perfect lips—the woman I had been with since we were five years old. My wife. My best friend...and the mother to our newborn baby girl.
You promised me we would be together forever, I wanted to tell her. She gave me her forever, I told myself. Her forever just ended at twenty-five.
“You need to say your goodbyes...” the doctor said.
How do I say goodbye to the one person in my life I could never say goodbye to?
My body is numb, and my heart hurts. Hurts like someone just ripped it out of my chest. Which is ironic ...
“We are going to remove her heart now, Hunter. It was her wish to donate,” the doctor said.
She never told me this.
She never told me another woman would carry on with her beating heart. She never told me this woman knew me but wouldn’t let me know her.
She never told me if I should follow her heart, or if I should follow mine.
She knew. She could have told me...
I won’t forget that moment I looked over at Ellie—the paleness of her once rosy cheeks, the blue hue coating her perfect lips—the woman I had been with since we were five years old. My wife. My best friend...and the mother to our newborn baby girl.
You promised me we would be together forever, I wanted to tell her. She gave me her forever, I told myself. Her forever just ended at twenty-five.
“You need to say your goodbyes...” the doctor said.
How do I say goodbye to the one person in my life I could never say goodbye to?
My body is numb, and my heart hurts. Hurts like someone just ripped it out of my chest. Which is ironic ...
“We are going to remove her heart now, Hunter. It was her wish to donate,” the doctor said.
She never told me this.
She never told me another woman would carry on with her beating heart. She never told me this woman knew me but wouldn’t let me know her.
She never told me if I should follow her heart, or if I should follow mine.
She knew. She could have told me...
242 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2016
683 people are currently reading
1189 people want to read
About the author
Shari J. Ryan
64 books2,009 followersShari J. Ryan is a USA Today and International Bestselling Author of over 40 novels, with more than 700,000 copies sold and translations in 13 languages. She writes emotionally evocative WWII fiction inspired by true stories that have resonated with readers around the globe. Her work has earned Top 100, Top 10, and #1 chart rankings, as well as two Rone Awards.
As the granddaughter and great-granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Shari brings a deeply personal connection to her work. Her stories are rooted in truth and remembrance, written to ensure history is never forgotten.
For Shari, writing is more than a passion; it is her way of expressing herself and connecting with others. She strives to share every emotion she experiences with each reader who picks up one of her books.
Shari holds a bachelor's degree from Johnson & Wales University and began her career as a graphic artist and freelance writer until 2012, when she discovered her true calling in novels.
Some of Shari’s bestselling books include The Nurse Behind the Gates, The Stolen Twins, The Bookseller of Dachau, The Doctor’s Daughter, and The Last Words Series—gripping stories that keep readers on the edge of their seats.
A lifelong Boston girl, Shari now lives in a small town in the suburbs with her adored husband and two incredible sons, who make her feel like the luckiest woman in the world.
As the granddaughter and great-granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Shari brings a deeply personal connection to her work. Her stories are rooted in truth and remembrance, written to ensure history is never forgotten.
For Shari, writing is more than a passion; it is her way of expressing herself and connecting with others. She strives to share every emotion she experiences with each reader who picks up one of her books.
Shari holds a bachelor's degree from Johnson & Wales University and began her career as a graphic artist and freelance writer until 2012, when she discovered her true calling in novels.
Some of Shari’s bestselling books include The Nurse Behind the Gates, The Stolen Twins, The Bookseller of Dachau, The Doctor’s Daughter, and The Last Words Series—gripping stories that keep readers on the edge of their seats.
A lifelong Boston girl, Shari now lives in a small town in the suburbs with her adored husband and two incredible sons, who make her feel like the luckiest woman in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews
February 12, 2019
I’m pretty torn about this book and pretty torn about writing this review because once again I find myself on the unpopular opinion side. Since the moment I read the blurb, I wanted to read it. And for the first 75% or so, I was loving the heck out of the book, then it just tanked for me. I didn’t like the direction it took and although I did like the end result, I can’t get over how it went down. So, I can definitely say that the first 75% were close to a 5 star read, but the last 25% were just a 2, and that’s only cause I loved the last chapter (not the Epilogue, I’ll discuss that further down). Hence why I’m giving this 3 stars. This review might contain a few spoilers so you’re warned.
This is Hunter Cole’s story, the book is entirely in his POV and chronicles his story from falling in love with his wife Ellie, to losing her at childbirth, to raising his little girl, to moving on and possibly falling in love again. Now, I love the concept of the book. I love the idea that you can have more than one great love, that if you ever lose your partner, especially while young, you can have hope that you can find a great person to love and that this person can fill your life with love and that this love can also be great. I love this type of book way more than the cheesy, unrealistic ones where you find “the one”, the person dies and you die young of a broken heart. You know exactly which books I’m talking about. I just don’t think they’re realistic, actually most widowers I know have remarried and I don’t think that made them love their late spouses less, it just made them human. It’s hard to find a book that conveys this idea in a good way, without disrespecting or forgetting the late spouse’s memory, and this book accomplished this for the most part.
Anyway, back to the book. Life has been tough for Hunter, he’s had a pretty rough 5 years, he can’t get over losing his wife and he’s raising his little girl alone. I empathized with Hunter, I could feel his pain and I felt awful for him. In his desire to move on, he moves to a new house, and that’s where he meets Charlotte. Charlotte is wonderful! She’s a divorced software engineer who is also raising her little girl by herself. Charlotte and Hunter strike a friendship that turns into more. Hunter obviously struggles with the idea of moving on because he loved his wife since they were kids. Now, I loved Charlotte and I loved everything about Charlotte and Hunter together from their first interaction. Charlotte was truly remarkable, and she had way more patience for Hunter that I could ever have. I also loved the relationship that was formed between the two little girls and how smart and sassy both were. Hunter’s family was also amazing.
Now for the things I didn’t like. There’s this underlying story going on with this other woman that makes for a very confusing love triangle. You see his wife knew she was dying and didn’t tell Hunter, instead she decided to get pregnant knowing she would probably die giving birth, which she did. The reasons are explained in the book, and I totally understand what she did and why and had no problems with it. She also decides to donate her organs and the woman that got her heart has been sending Hunter letters for five years. One of the problems I had was timing, everything was a huge coincidence after another and everything happened at the same time. While he’s “falling in love” with Charlotte this woman that has his wife’s heart suddenly decides to reveal herself (she had 5 years but she chose this specific moment, give me a break!) and well you can imagine what happens. Poor Charlotte gets the raw end of the deal because not only she has to compete with the ghost of the dead wife, she also has to compete with this woman that has her heart and it's described as beautiful and ethereal. Hunter does a 180 and becomes this irrational person, he’s enamored with this other woman and suddenly the entire thing gets confusing and the plot goes to hell. Because you know, now he has to “choose” between following “his heart” or “her heart”, meaning his wife's, ugh. For me it was like reading 2 different books. The fact that this is solely in Hunter’s POV does not help one bit as he sometimes sounds like a bratty teenager and not a 30 year old man. There’s also a lot of assumptions you have to make as a reader because there’s these huge time jumps in which I guess huge milestones like breakups and makeups happen behind the scenes. So it’s even harder to follow or connect with these characters because there’s no scenes of them interacting, sometimes not even a mention of such things happening. There’s also so many huge coincidences that make you think they must live in the smallest town in the world.
I did get my desired outcome but it felt so convenient, rushed and sloppy. One of my biggest peeves, reared its head, the one where the decision is basically made for the main character and well you have to wonder if they’re settling for second best, which I absolutely hate. The last chapter was beautiful though, loved everything about it. And then you get an Epilogue that in my opinion starts great but ends up being misplaced and unnecessary. If the guy has moved on, then why do we need to keep bringing this topic over and over. It would’ve been so much better if it had stayed in the past with all the other memories. It’s also so OTT and again, so convenient. You know I’m a huge fan of epilogues, but in this case, I truly wished the book would’ve ended with the last chapter.
Anyways, I can’t say I loved this book but also I didn’t hate it. I enjoyed most of it. The writing is great for the most part. Like I said, the concept is great, I love the idea that you can move on without disrespecting your late spouse’s memory, but I just feel like the execution was poor from 75% on. I wanted to absolutely love this one so I feel a little disappointed by it.
“Life is like the center of a blooming flower with each petal lifting over time, slowly exposing our hearts and souls as the motion of life circles around us. I can’t change it and I can’t stop it but I can watch and take in the beauty of it all. I definitely took the road less traveled, and my God, has it made all the difference.”
**An ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review**
This is Hunter Cole’s story, the book is entirely in his POV and chronicles his story from falling in love with his wife Ellie, to losing her at childbirth, to raising his little girl, to moving on and possibly falling in love again. Now, I love the concept of the book. I love the idea that you can have more than one great love, that if you ever lose your partner, especially while young, you can have hope that you can find a great person to love and that this person can fill your life with love and that this love can also be great. I love this type of book way more than the cheesy, unrealistic ones where you find “the one”, the person dies and you die young of a broken heart. You know exactly which books I’m talking about. I just don’t think they’re realistic, actually most widowers I know have remarried and I don’t think that made them love their late spouses less, it just made them human. It’s hard to find a book that conveys this idea in a good way, without disrespecting or forgetting the late spouse’s memory, and this book accomplished this for the most part.
Anyway, back to the book. Life has been tough for Hunter, he’s had a pretty rough 5 years, he can’t get over losing his wife and he’s raising his little girl alone. I empathized with Hunter, I could feel his pain and I felt awful for him. In his desire to move on, he moves to a new house, and that’s where he meets Charlotte. Charlotte is wonderful! She’s a divorced software engineer who is also raising her little girl by herself. Charlotte and Hunter strike a friendship that turns into more. Hunter obviously struggles with the idea of moving on because he loved his wife since they were kids. Now, I loved Charlotte and I loved everything about Charlotte and Hunter together from their first interaction. Charlotte was truly remarkable, and she had way more patience for Hunter that I could ever have. I also loved the relationship that was formed between the two little girls and how smart and sassy both were. Hunter’s family was also amazing.
Now for the things I didn’t like. There’s this underlying story going on with this other woman that makes for a very confusing love triangle. You see his wife knew she was dying and didn’t tell Hunter, instead she decided to get pregnant knowing she would probably die giving birth, which she did. The reasons are explained in the book, and I totally understand what she did and why and had no problems with it. She also decides to donate her organs and the woman that got her heart has been sending Hunter letters for five years. One of the problems I had was timing, everything was a huge coincidence after another and everything happened at the same time. While he’s “falling in love” with Charlotte this woman that has his wife’s heart suddenly decides to reveal herself (she had 5 years but she chose this specific moment, give me a break!) and well you can imagine what happens. Poor Charlotte gets the raw end of the deal because not only she has to compete with the ghost of the dead wife, she also has to compete with this woman that has her heart and it's described as beautiful and ethereal. Hunter does a 180 and becomes this irrational person, he’s enamored with this other woman and suddenly the entire thing gets confusing and the plot goes to hell. Because you know, now he has to “choose” between following “his heart” or “her heart”, meaning his wife's, ugh. For me it was like reading 2 different books. The fact that this is solely in Hunter’s POV does not help one bit as he sometimes sounds like a bratty teenager and not a 30 year old man. There’s also a lot of assumptions you have to make as a reader because there’s these huge time jumps in which I guess huge milestones like breakups and makeups happen behind the scenes. So it’s even harder to follow or connect with these characters because there’s no scenes of them interacting, sometimes not even a mention of such things happening. There’s also so many huge coincidences that make you think they must live in the smallest town in the world.
I did get my desired outcome but it felt so convenient, rushed and sloppy. One of my biggest peeves, reared its head, the one where the decision is basically made for the main character and well you have to wonder if they’re settling for second best, which I absolutely hate. The last chapter was beautiful though, loved everything about it. And then you get an Epilogue that in my opinion starts great but ends up being misplaced and unnecessary. If the guy has moved on, then why do we need to keep bringing this topic over and over. It would’ve been so much better if it had stayed in the past with all the other memories. It’s also so OTT and again, so convenient. You know I’m a huge fan of epilogues, but in this case, I truly wished the book would’ve ended with the last chapter.
Anyways, I can’t say I loved this book but also I didn’t hate it. I enjoyed most of it. The writing is great for the most part. Like I said, the concept is great, I love the idea that you can move on without disrespecting your late spouse’s memory, but I just feel like the execution was poor from 75% on. I wanted to absolutely love this one so I feel a little disappointed by it.
“Life is like the center of a blooming flower with each petal lifting over time, slowly exposing our hearts and souls as the motion of life circles around us. I can’t change it and I can’t stop it but I can watch and take in the beauty of it all. I definitely took the road less traveled, and my God, has it made all the difference.”
**An ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review**
May 18, 2016
༺**Complimentary Copy**༺ Provided by the author
"Shari J. Ryan" in exchange for an honest review..Thank you!!
TITLE: A Heart of Time
AUTHOR: Shari J. Ryan
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
RELEASE DATE: May 18th 2016
MY RATING
This will be my first time reading something by this author so I'm keen to see what kind of journey she takes me on.
A HEART OF TIME: Starts us off in the Prologue, Ellie & Hunter are getting ready to graduate high school, carving their names on an old tree.
“I am so in love with you, Ellie. I have loved you as my best friend all of these years, but now, getting ready to graduate high school and head off into the big bad world, I need you to know how much I really love you. It’s the kind of love that makes a guy want to carve his girl’s name into a tree. It’s the kind of love that I hope never goes away.”
“I am yours forever, Hunter. And this will always be our tree.”
Five pages in and you can feel the love these two characters have for each other already.
She smiles that smile, the one that has always been just for me since we were five years old. With the crickets chirping around us and the slight chill in the May air, I kiss her, the girl who has always been mine.
Then it jumps SEVEN YEARS LATER
Married still in love as ever with a child on the way.
“Time of death—“
“Don’t say it. Don’t you fucking say it!” I yell.
“Eleven, twelve,” the doctor says quietly.”
If you are a crier be forewarned this book in the very early stages is going to GUT you.
Don't think a roller coaster of emotions think a yo yo, because your emotions are going to be all over the place.
We met on the first day of Kindergarten when we were five. We were best friends until high school, then boyfriend and girlfriend until our senior year of college when we got married. There was never anyone else…for either of us.
After losing the love of his life, his best friend, we have another jump 5 years later..
I'm slightly sad that it didn't carry on from Ellie's death, the funeral, etc,I was hoping to still hold onto those feels during that time.
The pain would never go away but that eventually the good days would outweigh the bad.
Five years on Olive has started school, Hunter is still struggling with the death of his soul mate.
Grief is like a scar, you can cover it up all you want, but it will always be there.
There are so many different layers to this story, the death of his wife, raising Olive by himself, the friendship he forms with his neighbour across the road, the lady who received a second chance at life.
Life is not one straight highway; sometimes it's an offbeat path with no direction, no signs, no warnings, and often with no apparent reason. It is rarely traveled on because there is no conclusive outcome and no defined ending until a person arrives there.
This author captivated me right from that first gut wrenching moment when he lost the love of his life, reading the ups and downs of bringing up Olive as a single father, how closed of he was to the world, the grief he felt even after 5 years as though she'd only passed away the previous day.
*Teasers used are off the authors FB page*
"Shari J. Ryan" in exchange for an honest review..Thank you!!
TITLE: A Heart of Time
AUTHOR: Shari J. Ryan
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
RELEASE DATE: May 18th 2016
MY RATING
This will be my first time reading something by this author so I'm keen to see what kind of journey she takes me on.
A HEART OF TIME: Starts us off in the Prologue, Ellie & Hunter are getting ready to graduate high school, carving their names on an old tree.
“I am so in love with you, Ellie. I have loved you as my best friend all of these years, but now, getting ready to graduate high school and head off into the big bad world, I need you to know how much I really love you. It’s the kind of love that makes a guy want to carve his girl’s name into a tree. It’s the kind of love that I hope never goes away.”
“I am yours forever, Hunter. And this will always be our tree.”
Five pages in and you can feel the love these two characters have for each other already.
She smiles that smile, the one that has always been just for me since we were five years old. With the crickets chirping around us and the slight chill in the May air, I kiss her, the girl who has always been mine.
Then it jumps SEVEN YEARS LATER
Married still in love as ever with a child on the way.
“Time of death—“
“Don’t say it. Don’t you fucking say it!” I yell.
“Eleven, twelve,” the doctor says quietly.”
If you are a crier be forewarned this book in the very early stages is going to GUT you.
Don't think a roller coaster of emotions think a yo yo, because your emotions are going to be all over the place.
We met on the first day of Kindergarten when we were five. We were best friends until high school, then boyfriend and girlfriend until our senior year of college when we got married. There was never anyone else…for either of us.
After losing the love of his life, his best friend, we have another jump 5 years later..
I'm slightly sad that it didn't carry on from Ellie's death, the funeral, etc,I was hoping to still hold onto those feels during that time.
The pain would never go away but that eventually the good days would outweigh the bad.
Five years on Olive has started school, Hunter is still struggling with the death of his soul mate.
Grief is like a scar, you can cover it up all you want, but it will always be there.
There are so many different layers to this story, the death of his wife, raising Olive by himself, the friendship he forms with his neighbour across the road, the lady who received a second chance at life.
Life is not one straight highway; sometimes it's an offbeat path with no direction, no signs, no warnings, and often with no apparent reason. It is rarely traveled on because there is no conclusive outcome and no defined ending until a person arrives there.
This author captivated me right from that first gut wrenching moment when he lost the love of his life, reading the ups and downs of bringing up Olive as a single father, how closed of he was to the world, the grief he felt even after 5 years as though she'd only passed away the previous day.
*Teasers used are off the authors FB page*
Read
January 18, 2024Just sharing a quote as I do my last read through..
<3
"Life is not one straight highway; sometimes it’s an offbeat path with no direction, no signs, no warnings, and often with no apparent reason. It is rarely traveled on because there is no conclusive outcome and no defined ending until a person arrives there." - A Heart of Time
<3
"Life is not one straight highway; sometimes it’s an offbeat path with no direction, no signs, no warnings, and often with no apparent reason. It is rarely traveled on because there is no conclusive outcome and no defined ending until a person arrives there." - A Heart of Time
May 3, 2016
This story is gut wrenching.
The first chapter will tear your heart to pieces.
There are many characters you will meet and I can say for myself, I loved them all. They all brought such different levels of love and connection to this beautiful story.
You meet Ellie and Hunter in chapter 1. His wife goes into labor and has their beautiful daughter Olive. Elise, has been keeping a secret you will have to read for yourself but, what should have been the most beautiful day ends up being the day the doctors say the words no husband ever wants to hear.
It's 5 years later and Hunter is raising Olive on his own, but he's never healed from such loss. Hunter was a character I've never experienced before. The love for his wife and daughter is aspiring. He meets his neighbor Charlotte after moving into the neighborhood and she's everything he needs a friend to talk to, a friend to listen to, just a friend.
There are many layers to this story that get you to other places, but I want you to peel back those layers on your own. Without giving anything away.
The ending was heart lifting I felt like I could finally breathe again. Such an intense rollercoaster, I was finally happy when the ride came to an end, because Hunter deserves it all.
So many things I want to say to explain how truly beautiful this story is.
But I can't.
It's an experience.
A journey.
A ride.
A trip you will want to wear you seat belt for.
Must read.
This was my first book by this author and I can't wait to read more.
The first chapter will tear your heart to pieces.
There are many characters you will meet and I can say for myself, I loved them all. They all brought such different levels of love and connection to this beautiful story.
You meet Ellie and Hunter in chapter 1. His wife goes into labor and has their beautiful daughter Olive. Elise, has been keeping a secret you will have to read for yourself but, what should have been the most beautiful day ends up being the day the doctors say the words no husband ever wants to hear.
It's 5 years later and Hunter is raising Olive on his own, but he's never healed from such loss. Hunter was a character I've never experienced before. The love for his wife and daughter is aspiring. He meets his neighbor Charlotte after moving into the neighborhood and she's everything he needs a friend to talk to, a friend to listen to, just a friend.
There are many layers to this story that get you to other places, but I want you to peel back those layers on your own. Without giving anything away.
The ending was heart lifting I felt like I could finally breathe again. Such an intense rollercoaster, I was finally happy when the ride came to an end, because Hunter deserves it all.
So many things I want to say to explain how truly beautiful this story is.
But I can't.
It's an experience.
A journey.
A ride.
A trip you will want to wear you seat belt for.
Must read.
This was my first book by this author and I can't wait to read more.
March 16, 2017
I'm not going to stress the Hallmark-y-ness of this book, but overall it was a good story.
Hunter is a widowed father who is still grieving for his wife. His only tangiable connection to his wife are anonymous letters written by the woman who received his wife's heart. Then, a beautiful divorced woman moves in across the street. Following an on-off relationship, Hunter receives a letter from the heart recipient again asking to meet. It turns out the woman was closer to him than he ever thought. Will Hunter ever be happy again, or will a secret his wife kept from him destroy it all?
Hunter is a widowed father who is still grieving for his wife. His only tangiable connection to his wife are anonymous letters written by the woman who received his wife's heart. Then, a beautiful divorced woman moves in across the street. Following an on-off relationship, Hunter receives a letter from the heart recipient again asking to meet. It turns out the woman was closer to him than he ever thought. Will Hunter ever be happy again, or will a secret his wife kept from him destroy it all?
May 22, 2016
Yes, I read it all.
Yes, I got through it. (Although it was tough.)
No, I didn't really care for it.
I think the only character in the novel who wasn't fucked up was Charlotte. The other ones, Hunt, Ari, even AJ & Don were all beyond fucked up. I could barely stand to read it, let alone finish it.
Hunt had a good thing with Charlotte, then because he's mentally unstable because of guilt, the secrets and lies, the fact he lost his wife, he goes after the chick (Ari) who got his wife's donated heart and ruined almost everything... It was complete bullshit. That thought shouldn't of even entered his mind.
Charlotte was a great character, had a good head on her shoulders, can't complain about her.
From what I read about Ellie, she was one twisted bitch, blackmail? Really?! Just Ugh.
AJ had marriage problems.
Don was a loser doctor who lied, cheated and did a bunch of other stupid shit.
Oh and dear Ari, she was more twisted than all of them, sending him letters here and there, never letting him fully move on. Then finally meeting him, getting "involved" with him and basically pushing Charlotte out, even though the author didn't try to portray that. How could Hunt let go when this bitch kept bringing it back up? Then finally dying, only before pushing him back on Charlotte... It was fucking twisted and pathetic.
Not to mention there wasn't a good connection, romantically, between Hunt and Charlotte or else he would of fought for her.
It was badly written in my opinion and a gigantic waste of time reading. The words were pretty but there was NO feeling.
Shitty deal, wish I didn't waste my time reading it.
1.5 stars.
Yes, I got through it. (Although it was tough.)
No, I didn't really care for it.
I think the only character in the novel who wasn't fucked up was Charlotte. The other ones, Hunt, Ari, even AJ & Don were all beyond fucked up. I could barely stand to read it, let alone finish it.
Hunt had a good thing with Charlotte, then because he's mentally unstable because of guilt, the secrets and lies, the fact he lost his wife, he goes after the chick (Ari) who got his wife's donated heart and ruined almost everything... It was complete bullshit. That thought shouldn't of even entered his mind.
Charlotte was a great character, had a good head on her shoulders, can't complain about her.
From what I read about Ellie, she was one twisted bitch, blackmail? Really?! Just Ugh.
AJ had marriage problems.
Don was a loser doctor who lied, cheated and did a bunch of other stupid shit.
Oh and dear Ari, she was more twisted than all of them, sending him letters here and there, never letting him fully move on. Then finally meeting him, getting "involved" with him and basically pushing Charlotte out, even though the author didn't try to portray that. How could Hunt let go when this bitch kept bringing it back up? Then finally dying, only before pushing him back on Charlotte... It was fucking twisted and pathetic.
Not to mention there wasn't a good connection, romantically, between Hunt and Charlotte or else he would of fought for her.
It was badly written in my opinion and a gigantic waste of time reading. The words were pretty but there was NO feeling.
Shitty deal, wish I didn't waste my time reading it.
1.5 stars.
May 29, 2016
5 beautiful and emotional stars
I was lucky to have received an arc through sassy savvy book talk and I will be forever grateful for this opportunity to have loved this amazing journey and discovered this beautiful talented author.
This book is now up there with those books that live their mark into your readers soul because of their genuine heartfelt reality. This book is raw and heartbreaking and sad . My heart ached for hunter . I could feel his sadness flooding out of the pages . His pain and struggle were so palpable through the authors words you'd think he is a walking cloud of sadness and hurt. She wrote his character outstandingly if I may say . His story is one of a millions people yet you could feel the unique love he had for his wife . My heart was sad for him but the way he fought for his daughter made him that much stronger for me .
This story is so real and raw and so uplifting. It makes you believe . Believe in second chances , in love and more so in life after death .
The writing was incredible . Beautiful and real and so very deep . At some point it's beauty stole my breath and had me shedding tears . So much wisdom and life defining words in this book. It's one of those books you come and read just to get to feel the emotions all over again .
One of my favorite reads this year .
I was lucky to have received an arc through sassy savvy book talk and I will be forever grateful for this opportunity to have loved this amazing journey and discovered this beautiful talented author.
This book is now up there with those books that live their mark into your readers soul because of their genuine heartfelt reality. This book is raw and heartbreaking and sad . My heart ached for hunter . I could feel his sadness flooding out of the pages . His pain and struggle were so palpable through the authors words you'd think he is a walking cloud of sadness and hurt. She wrote his character outstandingly if I may say . His story is one of a millions people yet you could feel the unique love he had for his wife . My heart was sad for him but the way he fought for his daughter made him that much stronger for me .
This story is so real and raw and so uplifting. It makes you believe . Believe in second chances , in love and more so in life after death .
The writing was incredible . Beautiful and real and so very deep . At some point it's beauty stole my breath and had me shedding tears . So much wisdom and life defining words in this book. It's one of those books you come and read just to get to feel the emotions all over again .
One of my favorite reads this year .
October 8, 2023
3 Stars
The book started off on a rather sad and depressing note but it was quickly forgotten upon learning what a great dad Hunter has become.
Hunter however struggled to get over Ellie's death - even after five years, but that quickly changed when Charlotte came into the picture. To me, their relationship lacked of emotion and feelings, which is more or less the mystery woman's fault. She carried Ellie's heart and it didn't help that she contacted him frequently and told him about the heart. Hunter couldn't focus on Charlotte at all and was more interested in finding out who the mystery woman was.
But despite all of that, I really loved the fact that A Heart of Time was written in Hunter's POV. It was refreshing to read a story from a male perspective for a change.
**********
Review to come!
The book started off on a rather sad and depressing note but it was quickly forgotten upon learning what a great dad Hunter has become.
Hunter however struggled to get over Ellie's death - even after five years, but that quickly changed when Charlotte came into the picture. To me, their relationship lacked of emotion and feelings, which is more or less the mystery woman's fault. She carried Ellie's heart and it didn't help that she contacted him frequently and told him about the heart. Hunter couldn't focus on Charlotte at all and was more interested in finding out who the mystery woman was.
But despite all of that, I really loved the fact that A Heart of Time was written in Hunter's POV. It was refreshing to read a story from a male perspective for a change.
**********
Review to come!
May 10, 2016
I’m already a fan of Shari Ryan’s work. I’ve been a faithful reader since I picked up her Schasm series a few years ago. With that said this book took hold of me. I found myself (like many others) doing the ugly cry. The beginning of the book was so powerful and exhausting. There was no way I could put it down. My favorite character was Olive a girl wise beyond her years. She added depth to the characters around her as well as softened some of the characters that needed a little extra TLC. I am telling all of my friends to pick this book up – AMAZING!
May 16, 2016
I currently seem to be drawn to stories that emotionally rip me apart and this story definitely falls into that category. I mean, I was crying just reading the prologue for goodness sake! However, once I got through that initial heartbreak I managed to pull myself together. Enough about me though, let's talk about this story.
Hunter and Ellie have been in love as long as they can remember, from the moment Hunter held her hand and helped her onto the school bus at five years old they have been inseparable. Friendship eventually progressed into dating and then marriage. The day that Ellie gives birth to their first child the unthinkable happens and Hunter is left widowed, raising their daughter Olive on his own.
'Grief is like a scar - you can cover it up all you want, but it will always be there.'
Five years on and Hunter has struggled to move on with his life but he is finally starting to move forward. His daughter Olive is the apple of his eye and she is the gift that Ellie gave him, a piece of her lives on in their daughter. Olive may only be five but she has an old soul inside of her and she is freaking adorable. She makes friends with their new neighbour Charlotte's daughter Lana, which leads into a friendship between Hunter and Charlotte. She too is raising her daughter on her own and they begin to rely on each other a bit, providing a listening ear for each other and just being supportive friends. Charlotte doesn't look at him with pity, she gives him encouragement and assures him of his abilities as a father.
At this point I was all keen for these two to fall in love and live happily ever after. However, there is another really important person in this story. The recipient of Ellie's heart, the heart transplant patient that is walking around with Ellie's heart in her chest. The more that Hunter gets to know about this woman the more he realises that there were things that Ellie was keeping to herself. This adds a huge twist to this story that was really unexpected.
All of this will lead Hunter and Olive down a new path, one in which they will no longer be travelling alone.
Hunter and Ellie have been in love as long as they can remember, from the moment Hunter held her hand and helped her onto the school bus at five years old they have been inseparable. Friendship eventually progressed into dating and then marriage. The day that Ellie gives birth to their first child the unthinkable happens and Hunter is left widowed, raising their daughter Olive on his own.
'Grief is like a scar - you can cover it up all you want, but it will always be there.'
Five years on and Hunter has struggled to move on with his life but he is finally starting to move forward. His daughter Olive is the apple of his eye and she is the gift that Ellie gave him, a piece of her lives on in their daughter. Olive may only be five but she has an old soul inside of her and she is freaking adorable. She makes friends with their new neighbour Charlotte's daughter Lana, which leads into a friendship between Hunter and Charlotte. She too is raising her daughter on her own and they begin to rely on each other a bit, providing a listening ear for each other and just being supportive friends. Charlotte doesn't look at him with pity, she gives him encouragement and assures him of his abilities as a father.
At this point I was all keen for these two to fall in love and live happily ever after. However, there is another really important person in this story. The recipient of Ellie's heart, the heart transplant patient that is walking around with Ellie's heart in her chest. The more that Hunter gets to know about this woman the more he realises that there were things that Ellie was keeping to herself. This adds a huge twist to this story that was really unexpected.
All of this will lead Hunter and Olive down a new path, one in which they will no longer be travelling alone.
May 18, 2016
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Title: A Heart of Time
Author: Shari J. Ryan
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Category: Drama, Romance
Characters: 4
Plot: 3.75
Scorching Level: 3
HEA: Not telling
When I first read the blurb for this I was immediately intrigued. This is a story about loss, hope, family and love.
Hunter Cole is trying to raise his daughter alone after his wife's tragic death. Little Olive is the one thing that keeps him strong. When they move and Olive finally has to go to kindergarten, Hunter's fears of losing her will become stronger.
Things get better when he meets Charlotte and her little daughter, Lana. What starts as a hesitant friendship is slowly developing into something stronger, but Hunter still cannot get over the loss of his wife, Ellie.
Things become even more confusing when he receives letters from a woman who has Ellie's heart. Ellie believed strongly in organ donation and now some other woman is alive because of her generosity and kindness.
This woman's presence is about to wreck havoc in Hunter's life, but is it for the best?
I liked the concept of the book. I think the author handled the sensitive themes with great respect. It is a really beautiful story and the book was a real page turner.
What didn't satisfy me as a reader and made me cut down stars, was how the story developed.
I guess I had invested on a different development and I was a bit let down by the way things turned.
Hunter confused me as a character and I feel he didn't really know what he wanted, which is rational after all he went through but in my opinion he should have been more careful with certain things. His inner thoughts gave the impression of an immature and undecided man.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. The writing is great and the second characters made the book for me, especially Olive and AJ.
If you want something different, try this one.
3.75 Stars
May 9, 2016
"Our hearts determine our paths, the distances we'll go, the direction, and the length of our stay."
I just finished this book and my heart is so full! You will read this book and reflect on your own life along the way, the choices you make and the relationships you keep. This story was so refreshing - yes it was sad at times, but the author's words have a way of taking you down to rock bottom, and then slowly healing you and putting you back together on the way up during Hunter's journey. I read the last page with a huge smile on my face and my heart feeling like it was going to burst!
The character development was fabulous. I completely fell in love with these characters, I felt like they were my friends and neighbors. The story was just so realistic, the relationships were perfect. I loved Hunter's banter with his brother AJ as well as his relationship with his parents. And Olive. What a beautiful little soul. And the complex relationship with Ari. What a woman! Her story is not one I want to ever forget.
I cannot recommend this book enough. This is a journey that I urge everyone to take. This was my first book by Shari Ryan and it will most definitely not be my last. She has a new fan right here for sure :)
I just finished this book and my heart is so full! You will read this book and reflect on your own life along the way, the choices you make and the relationships you keep. This story was so refreshing - yes it was sad at times, but the author's words have a way of taking you down to rock bottom, and then slowly healing you and putting you back together on the way up during Hunter's journey. I read the last page with a huge smile on my face and my heart feeling like it was going to burst!
The character development was fabulous. I completely fell in love with these characters, I felt like they were my friends and neighbors. The story was just so realistic, the relationships were perfect. I loved Hunter's banter with his brother AJ as well as his relationship with his parents. And Olive. What a beautiful little soul. And the complex relationship with Ari. What a woman! Her story is not one I want to ever forget.
I cannot recommend this book enough. This is a journey that I urge everyone to take. This was my first book by Shari Ryan and it will most definitely not be my last. She has a new fan right here for sure :)
March 18, 2017
I love this author and I really want to read this book. But I don't think I can because I will definitely compare the hero's love for his wife, Ellie, with the new girl, Charlotte. This is going to make me so frustrated and sad as he has known his wife since she was five so there is so much history, laughter and love that cannot be competed with the love he will have for Charlotte. Obviously this may not be the case but still.
Note to self: Apparently there is a confusing love-triangle, Hunter is torn between Ari (girl with his wife's heart) and Charlotte. This for sure will make me angry as hell. So, should I read this book and just be ready for the array of emotions I will experience or leave it in my tbr list forever?
Yeah so conflicted is an understatement to what I'm feeling right now.
Note to self: Apparently there is a confusing love-triangle, Hunter is torn between Ari (girl with his wife's heart) and Charlotte. This for sure will make me angry as hell. So, should I read this book and just be ready for the array of emotions I will experience or leave it in my tbr list forever?
Yeah so conflicted is an understatement to what I'm feeling right now.
May 17, 2016
4.5 Stars
Review by Jen Skewes
When I first read the blurb for this book I knew that it was something I just had to read. I also knew that it was going to be a very emotional journey, one filled with many tears and lumps in my throat. The first moment in this book is the most powerful one and the most heart breaking one of all. It is the moment that you read about in the blurb when the love of Hunter’s life is suddenly taken from him. It is the moment that you know just how emotional this story will truly be. I knew there would tears but I honestly don’t know if I was truly prepared for it, if I was prepared for the twists that this story threw my way. The twists that made this story everything that it was, which is a beautiful and emotional journey about love, loss, grief and healing.
Hunter knew from the moment that he first met Ellie, at the the age of five, that he loved her. Throughout the years they became best friends, attached at the hip. As they grew up and became teenagers, that friendship turned into so much more. These two loved each other with everything they had. For Hunter, Ellie was his first and only love. They had the greatest love of all and Hunter never saw his life without Ellie by his side. The day their daughter was born should have been the happiest day of their life. But it suddenly turned into the worst, because it was the day that his Ellie was taken from him, way too early.
It is now five years later and Hunter is still grieving. The loss of his wife hit him hard and even after five years he still is not sure how to go on. But he has a little five-year old girl that needs him. A little girl that he loves more than anything in this world. So he still fights the pain every day to be there for her. When they move to a new house Hunter meets his new neighbor at the bus stop, a single mom name Charlotte. After spending some time together Hunter and Charlotte become the best of friends. For the first time in five years Hunter is trying to move on, trying to smile more and be happy. He loves spending time with Charlotte because she is the one person who gets him and understands what he needs. But for Charlotte things start to become a little more complicated because she is starting to fall for Hunter. And while he has feelings for her as well, the guilt of those feelings is what is constantly holding him back.
In order for him to truly open up his heart to Charlotte he needs to heal and move on from the death of his wife. He doesn’t need to forget her or let her go from his heart but he needs to be able to move on without feeling guilty for doing so. But when he is finally ready will Charlotte still be there waiting for him?
I truly loved this book for so many reasons. The first being Hunter and his little girl Olive. This little girl just worked her way into my heart. The love that Hunter had for her was everything to him. And the relationship that they had as father and daughter will just melt your heart. Olive was only five but she was a smart and very perceptive little girl. Some things she said would just break my heart but there were many times she just touched me as well. It was such a beautiful love between a father and his daughter.
There is one person in this story that had such an intricate role and honestly I have mixed feelings when it comes to this person. I thought at times they were very selfish in their ways which in the end I felt like it prevented Hunter from moving on in the way that he should have. He had so much pain and grief that that he was still dealing with that I think the actions of this person and the role they played caused Hunter’s judgment to be clouded in ways. And for that I felt so bad for both Hunter and Charlotte. And I have to give so much credit to Charlotte because she was such a patient, kind and understanding woman. More that I think I could have been in the situation and maybe that makes me a bad person, I don’t know. But I really admired her for the person that she was.
With all that being said this particular part of the story in no way had a negative effect on it at all. As a matter of fact it was just the opposite. I would not have had this story go any other way. Because while I may not have cared so much for the actions of one person it brought so much to Hunter’s story. It brought an element to this story that made it what it was, beautiful and amazing. I completely understand the connection that Hunter had and why this was such an important part of his journey. It just felt so real and so genuine and to see this man go through all of the mixed emotions like he did just made my heart hurt for him in so may ways. Because I got it, I understood where he was coming from.
A Heart in Time is in a way a very unique story. This is not just your typical story of a man losing his wife and moving on and falling in love with the woman next door. No, there is so much more to this story. The twists in this book is what made this story different. It was so much more than just finding love again. It was about opening up your heart again but also about still wanting to feel that connection. I loved Hunter and my heart truly broke for him over and over again. I couldn’t imagine being in his position and going through it all the way that he did. He never wanted to lose that connection with Ellie. She was the love of his life for 25 years. How does someone just get over that and move on? But I wanted him to, I wanted him to see that it was ok to move on, and to see that moving on didn’t mean letting her go or forgetting about her. He still carried her with him no matter what.
This a a beautiful and emotional story and one that I certainly recommend. The ending was beautiful and left me with a full heart. There were times while reading where I had tears and that lump in my throat that did not go away. But it was a letter in the end that completely turned on the water works. The tears just kept falling, but it wa in a good way. Well don Ms.Ryan!! If there is just one book that you are going to read that will bring out your emotions, cause you to cry on more than one occasion, make it this book!!
Review by Jen Skewes
When I first read the blurb for this book I knew that it was something I just had to read. I also knew that it was going to be a very emotional journey, one filled with many tears and lumps in my throat. The first moment in this book is the most powerful one and the most heart breaking one of all. It is the moment that you read about in the blurb when the love of Hunter’s life is suddenly taken from him. It is the moment that you know just how emotional this story will truly be. I knew there would tears but I honestly don’t know if I was truly prepared for it, if I was prepared for the twists that this story threw my way. The twists that made this story everything that it was, which is a beautiful and emotional journey about love, loss, grief and healing.
Hunter knew from the moment that he first met Ellie, at the the age of five, that he loved her. Throughout the years they became best friends, attached at the hip. As they grew up and became teenagers, that friendship turned into so much more. These two loved each other with everything they had. For Hunter, Ellie was his first and only love. They had the greatest love of all and Hunter never saw his life without Ellie by his side. The day their daughter was born should have been the happiest day of their life. But it suddenly turned into the worst, because it was the day that his Ellie was taken from him, way too early.
It is now five years later and Hunter is still grieving. The loss of his wife hit him hard and even after five years he still is not sure how to go on. But he has a little five-year old girl that needs him. A little girl that he loves more than anything in this world. So he still fights the pain every day to be there for her. When they move to a new house Hunter meets his new neighbor at the bus stop, a single mom name Charlotte. After spending some time together Hunter and Charlotte become the best of friends. For the first time in five years Hunter is trying to move on, trying to smile more and be happy. He loves spending time with Charlotte because she is the one person who gets him and understands what he needs. But for Charlotte things start to become a little more complicated because she is starting to fall for Hunter. And while he has feelings for her as well, the guilt of those feelings is what is constantly holding him back.
In order for him to truly open up his heart to Charlotte he needs to heal and move on from the death of his wife. He doesn’t need to forget her or let her go from his heart but he needs to be able to move on without feeling guilty for doing so. But when he is finally ready will Charlotte still be there waiting for him?
I truly loved this book for so many reasons. The first being Hunter and his little girl Olive. This little girl just worked her way into my heart. The love that Hunter had for her was everything to him. And the relationship that they had as father and daughter will just melt your heart. Olive was only five but she was a smart and very perceptive little girl. Some things she said would just break my heart but there were many times she just touched me as well. It was such a beautiful love between a father and his daughter.
There is one person in this story that had such an intricate role and honestly I have mixed feelings when it comes to this person. I thought at times they were very selfish in their ways which in the end I felt like it prevented Hunter from moving on in the way that he should have. He had so much pain and grief that that he was still dealing with that I think the actions of this person and the role they played caused Hunter’s judgment to be clouded in ways. And for that I felt so bad for both Hunter and Charlotte. And I have to give so much credit to Charlotte because she was such a patient, kind and understanding woman. More that I think I could have been in the situation and maybe that makes me a bad person, I don’t know. But I really admired her for the person that she was.
With all that being said this particular part of the story in no way had a negative effect on it at all. As a matter of fact it was just the opposite. I would not have had this story go any other way. Because while I may not have cared so much for the actions of one person it brought so much to Hunter’s story. It brought an element to this story that made it what it was, beautiful and amazing. I completely understand the connection that Hunter had and why this was such an important part of his journey. It just felt so real and so genuine and to see this man go through all of the mixed emotions like he did just made my heart hurt for him in so may ways. Because I got it, I understood where he was coming from.
A Heart in Time is in a way a very unique story. This is not just your typical story of a man losing his wife and moving on and falling in love with the woman next door. No, there is so much more to this story. The twists in this book is what made this story different. It was so much more than just finding love again. It was about opening up your heart again but also about still wanting to feel that connection. I loved Hunter and my heart truly broke for him over and over again. I couldn’t imagine being in his position and going through it all the way that he did. He never wanted to lose that connection with Ellie. She was the love of his life for 25 years. How does someone just get over that and move on? But I wanted him to, I wanted him to see that it was ok to move on, and to see that moving on didn’t mean letting her go or forgetting about her. He still carried her with him no matter what.
This a a beautiful and emotional story and one that I certainly recommend. The ending was beautiful and left me with a full heart. There were times while reading where I had tears and that lump in my throat that did not go away. But it was a letter in the end that completely turned on the water works. The tears just kept falling, but it wa in a good way. Well don Ms.Ryan!! If there is just one book that you are going to read that will bring out your emotions, cause you to cry on more than one occasion, make it this book!!
May 11, 2016
Review: Surj 4.5 Stars
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If there was ever a book I could see being turned into a movie, it's definitely Shari J Ryan's "A Heart of Time." Think Nicolas Sparks and honestly, you won't be far off the wealth of emotions you'd experience whilst reading Hunter's story. I can just imagine the whole cinema a sniffling, blubbering mess one minute and breaking out into fits of giggles and laughter the next. Yup peeps, this book really did have it all and then some. I loved the originality of the story line. I loved how powerful and moving it was and I absolutely loved that it pulled so many contradicting feelings from me but all of them so valid for what was unfolding before me. This author managed to turn a tragedy into something so beautiful but at the same time make it realistic and believable and for that I thank her.
"A Heart of Time" was such a thought provoking read that I would recommend you go into blind. I was lucky enough to receive an arc and so was able to enjoy so many elements of this book without it being spoiled. Every little surprise, every little twist and turn, even the romance element caught me off guard with how things evolved. Because of that, it meant every smile, every laugh, every heart dropping moment, every tear shed and even the snot bubble hiccoughs that came, came as a genuine yet very unexpected emotion that really helped to heighten my enjoyment of the book.
There were so many characters I met whilst reading "A Heart of Time," each playing pivotal roles in Hunter's story. Charlotte, Ellie and Ari and of course AJ who had me in stitches with his meddling and antics. But the one who really stole the show for me was Olive. How do I even begin to go into her character without spoiling this book for you? I can't so I won't but know that you will fall head over heals for her character.
"A heart of Time" really was a phenomenal, outstanding story and is a must if you're looking for a book that will captivate you and hold your emotions hostage until the last page is turned. This is a book that quite literally rip your heart into shreds before it begins to glue it back together but all of it will be worth it for the amazing yet painful, beautiful but very realistic story that you get.
I rated "A Heart of Time" ❤️❤️❤️❤️.5
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHopelessR...
TSU: http://www.tsu.co/HopelessRomantics
Blog: http://thehopelessromanticsbookblog.b...
If there was ever a book I could see being turned into a movie, it's definitely Shari J Ryan's "A Heart of Time." Think Nicolas Sparks and honestly, you won't be far off the wealth of emotions you'd experience whilst reading Hunter's story. I can just imagine the whole cinema a sniffling, blubbering mess one minute and breaking out into fits of giggles and laughter the next. Yup peeps, this book really did have it all and then some. I loved the originality of the story line. I loved how powerful and moving it was and I absolutely loved that it pulled so many contradicting feelings from me but all of them so valid for what was unfolding before me. This author managed to turn a tragedy into something so beautiful but at the same time make it realistic and believable and for that I thank her.
The heart always wins over everything else. Whatever it needs to feel, it feels, and it will bring everything down with it.
"A Heart of Time" was such a thought provoking read that I would recommend you go into blind. I was lucky enough to receive an arc and so was able to enjoy so many elements of this book without it being spoiled. Every little surprise, every little twist and turn, even the romance element caught me off guard with how things evolved. Because of that, it meant every smile, every laugh, every heart dropping moment, every tear shed and even the snot bubble hiccoughs that came, came as a genuine yet very unexpected emotion that really helped to heighten my enjoyment of the book.
Life is not one straight highway; sometimes it's an offbeat path with no direction, no signs, no warnings, and often with no apparent reason. It is rarely traveled on because there is no conclusive outcome and no defined ending until a person arrives there.Told from Hunter's POV, this was a man whose life was fraught with challenges, hurdles, obstacles and milestones. Some of them resulted in pain sorrow and suffering, others resulted in inner conflict, uncertainty and confusion but it was those that put the biggest smile on my face, that had me grinning like a cheshire cat that meant the most. The happiness and joy I experienced during parts of his story definitely made up for the heart ache and gut wrenching devastation experienced during other parts.
There were so many characters I met whilst reading "A Heart of Time," each playing pivotal roles in Hunter's story. Charlotte, Ellie and Ari and of course AJ who had me in stitches with his meddling and antics. But the one who really stole the show for me was Olive. How do I even begin to go into her character without spoiling this book for you? I can't so I won't but know that you will fall head over heals for her character.
Life is like the centre of a booking flower with each petal lifting over time, slowly exposing our hearts and souls as the motion go life circles around us.
"A heart of Time" really was a phenomenal, outstanding story and is a must if you're looking for a book that will captivate you and hold your emotions hostage until the last page is turned. This is a book that quite literally rip your heart into shreds before it begins to glue it back together but all of it will be worth it for the amazing yet painful, beautiful but very realistic story that you get.
I rated "A Heart of Time" ❤️❤️❤️❤️.5
May 10, 2016
Chapter one of this book shattered me and ripped my heart out and stomped it. And I loved every min of it. Shari J Ryan is a seriously talented author who can legit suck you into her worlds and make you never want to leave. This is my 3rd book of hers that I have read and I have loved each one. I received this arc in exchange for an honest review and when I tell you this book was amazing I mean it. Thank you Shari for letting me read this.
May 20, 2016
I've got mixed emotions about this one. I don't think I would have taken him back if I was Charlotte. He left her for Ari (weird reasons and all) just like her husband did. There wouldn't have been a happily ever after.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2016
Did you read that blurb? OMG!!!! My heart hurt just reading those words.
A Heart of Time is the story of a man losing his heart when the one belonging to only woman he’s ever loved stops.... or does it?
Hunter has made it through five years after his wife died in childbirth, Ellie was the woman he fell in love with as a teenager and his best friend since they were five. Until Olive, their daughter, Ellie was his reason for living.
Moving to a new town, gearing up to send his baby off to her first day of school, Hunter meets Charlotte, his neighbor and recently divorced single mother. He hasn’t looked twice at another woman in five years, but something about Charlotte has him wanting to do more than just looking – but nothing is easy when you’ve stopped living and you haven’t stopped grieving for your dead wife.
But a friendship between the two grows as their girls become best friends and Hunter is haunted by the anonymous letters he receives from the woman who now owns his wife’s heart. Torn between the chance at a new start and a chance to once again feel the love of his life’s heart beat once more; Hunter discovers that he hasn’t healed since that day in the OR when he had to say goodbye to Ellie. That he stopped living in the same moment that Ellie did.
Now he has to make a choice. His heart or her heart.
The start of this book gutted me. Tossed instantly into the relationship of Ellie and Hunter, shown the love that these two kid had for one another and then suddenly having it all torn away. I reread the start of this book after finishing the story, not just because I was a glutton for punishment, but because I wanted to experience it through eyes of knowing all the secrets. It was even more heartbreaking the second time around.
As I continued on in the story I was a little torn. I loved the idea that Charlotte was breaking through his walls, slowly but felt for his own need to follow Ellie’s heart. I was a bit frustrated at the start with how he behaved, but all of that frustration left when the story progressed and he comes face to face with the only choice he really ever had in the situation.
I struggle with books like this. I am always torn over whether my heart has room for a second love when the first love is so epic. I worry that I’m betraying the other character although we don’t really get to know Ellie before she is taken from us. But in a way, we do – and that struggle was intense. I also was torn over Charlotte and Ellie’s heart, I couldn’t help but wonder what I would do in that situation. How easy it is to say how I think I would react as my husband sleeps besides me. How simple the choice would be when you’re not weighted down by grief.
This was my first read by this author, although I do own a few of her other books – I can say without a doubt, I will read more of her work in the future and the story she had to tell within these pages is one that won’t leave my thoughts for some time to come.
A Heart of Time is the story of a man losing his heart when the one belonging to only woman he’s ever loved stops.... or does it?
Hunter has made it through five years after his wife died in childbirth, Ellie was the woman he fell in love with as a teenager and his best friend since they were five. Until Olive, their daughter, Ellie was his reason for living.
Moving to a new town, gearing up to send his baby off to her first day of school, Hunter meets Charlotte, his neighbor and recently divorced single mother. He hasn’t looked twice at another woman in five years, but something about Charlotte has him wanting to do more than just looking – but nothing is easy when you’ve stopped living and you haven’t stopped grieving for your dead wife.
But a friendship between the two grows as their girls become best friends and Hunter is haunted by the anonymous letters he receives from the woman who now owns his wife’s heart. Torn between the chance at a new start and a chance to once again feel the love of his life’s heart beat once more; Hunter discovers that he hasn’t healed since that day in the OR when he had to say goodbye to Ellie. That he stopped living in the same moment that Ellie did.
Now he has to make a choice. His heart or her heart.
The start of this book gutted me. Tossed instantly into the relationship of Ellie and Hunter, shown the love that these two kid had for one another and then suddenly having it all torn away. I reread the start of this book after finishing the story, not just because I was a glutton for punishment, but because I wanted to experience it through eyes of knowing all the secrets. It was even more heartbreaking the second time around.
As I continued on in the story I was a little torn. I loved the idea that Charlotte was breaking through his walls, slowly but felt for his own need to follow Ellie’s heart. I was a bit frustrated at the start with how he behaved, but all of that frustration left when the story progressed and he comes face to face with the only choice he really ever had in the situation.
I struggle with books like this. I am always torn over whether my heart has room for a second love when the first love is so epic. I worry that I’m betraying the other character although we don’t really get to know Ellie before she is taken from us. But in a way, we do – and that struggle was intense. I also was torn over Charlotte and Ellie’s heart, I couldn’t help but wonder what I would do in that situation. How easy it is to say how I think I would react as my husband sleeps besides me. How simple the choice would be when you’re not weighted down by grief.
This was my first read by this author, although I do own a few of her other books – I can say without a doubt, I will read more of her work in the future and the story she had to tell within these pages is one that won’t leave my thoughts for some time to come.
September 5, 2016
**Received ARC in exchange for an honest review**
"Our hearts determine our paths, the distances we'll go, the direction, and the length of our stay."
This is the first book I read by Shari J. Ryan. I read the blurb and it piqued my interest. This book is about Hunter who loses his wife during child birth. It was such an emotional scene to read how Hunter handled this heartbreaking moment. Hunter and his wife Ellie met on the first day of kindergarten when they were five, were best friends until high school, then boyfriend and girlfriend until their senior year of college when they got married. I can't even imagine how it must feel to lose someone you loved your entire life. Thankfully Hunter had his baby girl Olive.
Olive was the reason Hunter kept on going with his life. Olive was the only thing that was left of her. I love reading about single parents, they are such strong people who have to be both a mom and dad for the child. Hunter didn't have an easy time after he lost his wife. On the first day that Olive had to attend kindergarten Hunter meets another single parent. They eventually become pretty good friends because both their kids become best friends. They help one another out when it's needed. I thought I had the story all figured out, but boy was I wrong. Seriously I didn't see a lot of things coming. I'm really happy the author didn't take the predictable route with this story. She had me guessing throughout the book. I am not going to say anything about the plot(twists) in this book because I feel like you should experience it yourself.
I adored this book, I enjoyed reading about all the characters. There were scenes that were funny, happy and scenes that were really emotional that had me crying. It was inspirational, and I loved that it was different and unpredictable. The pace of the story had a great flow and I really enjoyed the writing style. I was hooked from the start.
"Our hearts determine our paths, the distances we'll go, the direction, and the length of our stay."
This is the first book I read by Shari J. Ryan. I read the blurb and it piqued my interest. This book is about Hunter who loses his wife during child birth. It was such an emotional scene to read how Hunter handled this heartbreaking moment. Hunter and his wife Ellie met on the first day of kindergarten when they were five, were best friends until high school, then boyfriend and girlfriend until their senior year of college when they got married. I can't even imagine how it must feel to lose someone you loved your entire life. Thankfully Hunter had his baby girl Olive.
Olive was the reason Hunter kept on going with his life. Olive was the only thing that was left of her. I love reading about single parents, they are such strong people who have to be both a mom and dad for the child. Hunter didn't have an easy time after he lost his wife. On the first day that Olive had to attend kindergarten Hunter meets another single parent. They eventually become pretty good friends because both their kids become best friends. They help one another out when it's needed. I thought I had the story all figured out, but boy was I wrong. Seriously I didn't see a lot of things coming. I'm really happy the author didn't take the predictable route with this story. She had me guessing throughout the book. I am not going to say anything about the plot(twists) in this book because I feel like you should experience it yourself.
I adored this book, I enjoyed reading about all the characters. There were scenes that were funny, happy and scenes that were really emotional that had me crying. It was inspirational, and I loved that it was different and unpredictable. The pace of the story had a great flow and I really enjoyed the writing style. I was hooked from the start.
May 2, 2016
There are so many thoughts I’ve had on this book since reading it two days ago, I still struggle to write down my best words to capture the heart and emotion that is within the pages of this book. A Heart of Time by Shari Ryan is one of those books that just gobbles your soul right up. It’s screen worthy, a must have read that will take you on a journey of both mended and broken hearts.
In A Heart of Time, Ryan gives us the story of a young widowed single father and his beautiful daughter Olive. Struggling to make it through life after losing the love of his, Hunter devotes all his time to his daughter and the monthly letter from his deceased wife’s heart now beating in a stranger. Torn between the past love and the opportunities that lie before him, Hunter has some very hard decisions before him and the way he’s is choosing to live his life. Ryan delivers his journey in an effortless story that will grab, jerk, and tug on your heartstrings demanding you to not look away until the very end.
I am so happy that Ryan chose to write this story the way she did. Love is complicated, yet beautiful and there are so many different forms of it that you come across in one lifetime. I think Ryan did a spectacular job of capturing true essence of love within this story. Her characters were so heartfelt, emotionally strong yet vulnerable, and deeply complex. I just can’t say enough wonderful things about this story! If you are looking for something different, something real, that will rock you to the core, then look no further than Ryan’s A Heart of Time. I promise you won’t walk away from this book having not been grateful to hear it’s message.
In A Heart of Time, Ryan gives us the story of a young widowed single father and his beautiful daughter Olive. Struggling to make it through life after losing the love of his, Hunter devotes all his time to his daughter and the monthly letter from his deceased wife’s heart now beating in a stranger. Torn between the past love and the opportunities that lie before him, Hunter has some very hard decisions before him and the way he’s is choosing to live his life. Ryan delivers his journey in an effortless story that will grab, jerk, and tug on your heartstrings demanding you to not look away until the very end.
I am so happy that Ryan chose to write this story the way she did. Love is complicated, yet beautiful and there are so many different forms of it that you come across in one lifetime. I think Ryan did a spectacular job of capturing true essence of love within this story. Her characters were so heartfelt, emotionally strong yet vulnerable, and deeply complex. I just can’t say enough wonderful things about this story! If you are looking for something different, something real, that will rock you to the core, then look no further than Ryan’s A Heart of Time. I promise you won’t walk away from this book having not been grateful to hear it’s message.
May 18, 2016
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review for Stephanie's Book Reports.
Hunter and Ellie met on their first day of kindergarten. They grew up best friends, fell in love, and got married. So excited for the birth of their first child, a daughter. Hunter never saw his life changing in the blink of an eye. Ellie was hiding secrets. Huge secrets that she didn't share with Hunter. She's gone now and someone else is carrying her heart because that's what Ellie wanted.
A Heart Of Time is not just a book, it's an experience. An experience that is equal parts sorrow and joy. I am not going into much detail about the story at all. I hadn't even read the synopsis when I was asked to read A Heart Of Time. I went in pretty much blind but knew I was in for an emotional rollercoaster after the first chapter. This book is filled with such strong characters all with different experiences and at different points in their lives. Their a great support system to Hunter and Olive. I found Olive to be the sweetest wisest little girl. I fell in love with so many people in this book. It's a book you just simply know is going to stick win you for years to come. I'm sure it will affect each reader differently. It's a beautiful journey of self discovery, recovery, life throwing you the worst hand possible, and love.
Shari Ryan has blown me away. I've loved everything I have ever read of hers but this book, this is her on a whole new level. You can feel while reading how much she has poured her heart and soul into a book she is sharing with the world. Thank you Shari so very much for the beauty that is A Heart Of Time. I will never ever forget the beauty of it all.
Hunter and Ellie met on their first day of kindergarten. They grew up best friends, fell in love, and got married. So excited for the birth of their first child, a daughter. Hunter never saw his life changing in the blink of an eye. Ellie was hiding secrets. Huge secrets that she didn't share with Hunter. She's gone now and someone else is carrying her heart because that's what Ellie wanted.
A Heart Of Time is not just a book, it's an experience. An experience that is equal parts sorrow and joy. I am not going into much detail about the story at all. I hadn't even read the synopsis when I was asked to read A Heart Of Time. I went in pretty much blind but knew I was in for an emotional rollercoaster after the first chapter. This book is filled with such strong characters all with different experiences and at different points in their lives. Their a great support system to Hunter and Olive. I found Olive to be the sweetest wisest little girl. I fell in love with so many people in this book. It's a book you just simply know is going to stick win you for years to come. I'm sure it will affect each reader differently. It's a beautiful journey of self discovery, recovery, life throwing you the worst hand possible, and love.
Shari Ryan has blown me away. I've loved everything I have ever read of hers but this book, this is her on a whole new level. You can feel while reading how much she has poured her heart and soul into a book she is sharing with the world. Thank you Shari so very much for the beauty that is A Heart Of Time. I will never ever forget the beauty of it all.
May 18, 2016
This story is a story of sheer beauty. I have never read anything by this author before but I was intrigued by its title, and its cover. I knew nothing about it going in, and I'm glad. The story will have you feel everything you will be colored in emotion happiness, sadness ,,, Everyone in this novel is a likable character you feel for all of them. Heart of time is the story about love, grief, friendship and moving on, you'll feel Hunter's anxiety, Charlottes confusion, Aj's quick temper, and Olive's ability to understand the world around her at such a young age. One of the most poignant aspects of this story is that it reminds you everyone deals with grief differently , and it is essential for us as human beings to let us feel well we need to feel . There are moments in the story where you feel that you're flying high and, other times down in sorrow. Heart of time remind us that we're all human don't always see what's right in front of us, we all make mistakes even when we're trying to do right by one another, and most importantly the stars can shine bright even in the darkest of days we just have to remember to look up. We all have scars it's just how we decide to carry them that defines us.
May 31, 2016
5+++++STARS!!!!!
A Heart of Time is a heartfelt journey of true love, devastating loss, tremendous heartache, overwhelming guilt, new beginnings, and secret revelations that gradually heal the heart and soul. There is no way of setting a time limit on grieving, on moving on from any love, especially a love that is built and grown from childhood to the love of your life. Sometimes your fortunate to find others that will help you find the healing you need and open your heart to love again.
"Life is not one straight highway; sometimes it's an offbeat path with no direction, no signs, no warnings, and often with no apparent reason. It is rarely traveled on because there is no conclusive outcome and no defined ending until a person arrives there."
From the prologue to the very last word I couldn't stop reading this beautiful story. This book is a special story that touched my heart deeply and will stay with me forever!
A Heart of Time is a heartfelt journey of true love, devastating loss, tremendous heartache, overwhelming guilt, new beginnings, and secret revelations that gradually heal the heart and soul. There is no way of setting a time limit on grieving, on moving on from any love, especially a love that is built and grown from childhood to the love of your life. Sometimes your fortunate to find others that will help you find the healing you need and open your heart to love again.
"Life is not one straight highway; sometimes it's an offbeat path with no direction, no signs, no warnings, and often with no apparent reason. It is rarely traveled on because there is no conclusive outcome and no defined ending until a person arrives there."
From the prologue to the very last word I couldn't stop reading this beautiful story. This book is a special story that touched my heart deeply and will stay with me forever!
May 27, 2016
Robert Frost always knew what he was talking about!
How does one recover after losing his beloved wife right after giving birth to their baby daughter? A very special story which touches your heart from the very beginning... making you eager to keep on reading in order to discover what secrets lie ahead. A very intricate web is spun around the lives of these characters... leaving the reader's mouth agape with every revelation. A very sensitive topic which will play with your heart-strings on every level... both sad and happy moments blend in to make "A Heart of Time" by Shari J. Ryan a very touching novel. 5 Healing Stars for such a Heart-Felt story!
How does one recover after losing his beloved wife right after giving birth to their baby daughter? A very special story which touches your heart from the very beginning... making you eager to keep on reading in order to discover what secrets lie ahead. A very intricate web is spun around the lives of these characters... leaving the reader's mouth agape with every revelation. A very sensitive topic which will play with your heart-strings on every level... both sad and happy moments blend in to make "A Heart of Time" by Shari J. Ryan a very touching novel. 5 Healing Stars for such a Heart-Felt story!
June 22, 2016
Wow
This was a very emotional journey of a man who lost his life long best friend ,and wife ,while she was delivering there child ,then he finds out she is a organ donor , she gave her heart to a young woman ,,, a year later he started to receive letters from the woman who received her heart ,He stays in a fog for 5 years ,till his daughter start pre k and he meets a single mom at the bus stop and he starts to feel again but he finds out his brother was seeing the single mom ,a while back, on top of that the woman who received his wife heart wants to meet him . ,,,,,,,,,it's a must read great ending at
This was a very emotional journey of a man who lost his life long best friend ,and wife ,while she was delivering there child ,then he finds out she is a organ donor , she gave her heart to a young woman ,,, a year later he started to receive letters from the woman who received her heart ,He stays in a fog for 5 years ,till his daughter start pre k and he meets a single mom at the bus stop and he starts to feel again but he finds out his brother was seeing the single mom ,a while back, on top of that the woman who received his wife heart wants to meet him . ,,,,,,,,,it's a must read great ending at
May 14, 2016
***ARC Provided for an Honest Review. Thank You.***
4 to 4.5 Solid Stars.
This book was well written. The author was able to incorporate both past and present seamlessly. Hunter was such a great dad. I could feel what he was going through. Ellie, oh Ellie, the decisions she made IMO was both selfless and selfish. I understand though, I really did. Ari, aww, Ari...sigh. Charlotte, I admired how she handled things. She was upfront about her feelings and what she wanted. Olive, she just stole the show. I just wanted to hug her.
4 to 4.5 Solid Stars.
This book was well written. The author was able to incorporate both past and present seamlessly. Hunter was such a great dad. I could feel what he was going through. Ellie, oh Ellie, the decisions she made IMO was both selfless and selfish. I understand though, I really did. Ari, aww, Ari...sigh. Charlotte, I admired how she handled things. She was upfront about her feelings and what she wanted. Olive, she just stole the show. I just wanted to hug her.
July 1, 2016
Oh wow! If you need a good ugly cry book this is definitely a good one! I don't write reviews that recap the whole story. Just know you will fall in love with these characters and cry your eyes out!
July 8, 2016
Wowsers, what an emotional story. I couldn't put this down. It was a serious tear jerker - it had light hearted moments,super cute, but overall a fairly heavy book with a twist.
May 27, 2016
A lovely story.
August 27, 2017
4.5 Stars
“… I’m sitting here in front of two paths and I don’t know which way to go.” I take a deep breath, contemplating the answer to my own question. “Ell, do I follow your heart or mine?”
Oh boy, this one’s got all the feels! I knew from reading the blurb that this one would be heart-wrenching and it definitely was. Hunter Cole met his wife when they were just five years old, they grew up as best friends and then as they got older they began to date and eventually got married. They had a love that would last forever and their perfect life was only going to get even more perfect with the birth of their daughter. Only, the day quickly turns into a nightmare as his wife dies during childbirth. In the midst of his grief and shock over losing his beloved wife, he’s also told that it was her wish to donate her heart, something he never knew she wanted. Five years later and Hunter is doing the best he can to raise their daughter on his own but he still struggles with figuring out how he’s supposed to move on. After moving into a new neighborhood he finds himself with a few new women in his life and he could have never guessed how interwoven all of their lives will become. Now he’s left trying to figure out whether he should follow his own heart or the heart of his beloved deceased wife, the one woman he never thought he’d have to say goodbye to.
I’m not going to tell you too much more about the story itself because this one takes a lot of unexpected turns and I’d hate to spoil it. In fact, for much of the book, I really wasn’t sure which way things were going to go. I knew which way I was hoping they would go, but it wasn’t until very late in the game where we finally know. I liked this uncertainty, it kept me turning the pages to see how it all turned out! The book is told entirely from Hunter’s POV and I thought that was really great. This poor man had been through so much and he really was quite a mess for much of the book. He was doing amazing raising his daughter, I loved how much he loved his daughter and she was just the sweetest thing. But in everything else in his life, he was kind of a disaster. I felt really bad for how lost he was but I really enjoyed watching him work his way through it and finally find some happiness. We only really had the prologue and the first chapter where we got to see him and his wife together, but that was enough to really cement how much they meant to one another, which makes it all the more heartbreaking when she passes and makes his struggles believable. I thought that both of the women he finds himself tangled up with were good for him in their own way and I was really glad with how things turned out! I also really liked his family, especially his brother. They were great secondary characters and really were a great support system for Hunter on this journey. I wish I could say more, but I don’t want to spoil anything, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing was great and the story will certainly pull every last feel out of you!
This second time around is not for replacing memories, love, or a past—it’s only for moving forward and building a new life together as a family, allowing our love for each other to heal our brokenness.
“… I’m sitting here in front of two paths and I don’t know which way to go.” I take a deep breath, contemplating the answer to my own question. “Ell, do I follow your heart or mine?”
Oh boy, this one’s got all the feels! I knew from reading the blurb that this one would be heart-wrenching and it definitely was. Hunter Cole met his wife when they were just five years old, they grew up as best friends and then as they got older they began to date and eventually got married. They had a love that would last forever and their perfect life was only going to get even more perfect with the birth of their daughter. Only, the day quickly turns into a nightmare as his wife dies during childbirth. In the midst of his grief and shock over losing his beloved wife, he’s also told that it was her wish to donate her heart, something he never knew she wanted. Five years later and Hunter is doing the best he can to raise their daughter on his own but he still struggles with figuring out how he’s supposed to move on. After moving into a new neighborhood he finds himself with a few new women in his life and he could have never guessed how interwoven all of their lives will become. Now he’s left trying to figure out whether he should follow his own heart or the heart of his beloved deceased wife, the one woman he never thought he’d have to say goodbye to.
I’m not going to tell you too much more about the story itself because this one takes a lot of unexpected turns and I’d hate to spoil it. In fact, for much of the book, I really wasn’t sure which way things were going to go. I knew which way I was hoping they would go, but it wasn’t until very late in the game where we finally know. I liked this uncertainty, it kept me turning the pages to see how it all turned out! The book is told entirely from Hunter’s POV and I thought that was really great. This poor man had been through so much and he really was quite a mess for much of the book. He was doing amazing raising his daughter, I loved how much he loved his daughter and she was just the sweetest thing. But in everything else in his life, he was kind of a disaster. I felt really bad for how lost he was but I really enjoyed watching him work his way through it and finally find some happiness. We only really had the prologue and the first chapter where we got to see him and his wife together, but that was enough to really cement how much they meant to one another, which makes it all the more heartbreaking when she passes and makes his struggles believable. I thought that both of the women he finds himself tangled up with were good for him in their own way and I was really glad with how things turned out! I also really liked his family, especially his brother. They were great secondary characters and really were a great support system for Hunter on this journey. I wish I could say more, but I don’t want to spoil anything, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing was great and the story will certainly pull every last feel out of you!
This second time around is not for replacing memories, love, or a past—it’s only for moving forward and building a new life together as a family, allowing our love for each other to heal our brokenness.
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