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The Queen of Hearts
Listening time 11 hours 33 minutes
A debut novel that pulses with humor and empathy and explores the heart's capacity for forgiveness...
Zadie Anson and Emma Colley have been best friends since their early twenties, when they first began navigating serious romantic relationships amid the intensity of medical school. Now they're happily married wives and mothers with successful careers--Zadie as a pediatric cardiologist and Emma as a trauma surgeon. Their lives in Charlotte, North Carolina are chaotic but fulfilling, until the return of a former colleague unearths a secret one of them has been harboring for years.
As chief resident, Nick Xenokostas was the center of Zadie's life--both professionally and personally--throughout a tragic chain of events in her third year of medical school that she has long since put behind her. Nick's unexpected reappearance during a time of new professional crisis shocks both women into a deeper look at the difficult choices they made at the beginning of their careers. As it becomes evident that Emma must have known more than she revealed about circumstances that nearly derailed both their lives, Zadie starts to question everything she thought she knew about her closest friend.
A debut novel that pulses with humor and empathy and explores the heart's capacity for forgiveness...
Zadie Anson and Emma Colley have been best friends since their early twenties, when they first began navigating serious romantic relationships amid the intensity of medical school. Now they're happily married wives and mothers with successful careers--Zadie as a pediatric cardiologist and Emma as a trauma surgeon. Their lives in Charlotte, North Carolina are chaotic but fulfilling, until the return of a former colleague unearths a secret one of them has been harboring for years.
As chief resident, Nick Xenokostas was the center of Zadie's life--both professionally and personally--throughout a tragic chain of events in her third year of medical school that she has long since put behind her. Nick's unexpected reappearance during a time of new professional crisis shocks both women into a deeper look at the difficult choices they made at the beginning of their careers. As it becomes evident that Emma must have known more than she revealed about circumstances that nearly derailed both their lives, Zadie starts to question everything she thought she knew about her closest friend.
Audible Audio
First published February 13, 2018
1487 people are currently reading
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About the author
Kimmery Martin
3 books1,113 followersKimmery Martin is an emergency medicine doctor-turned novelist whose works of medical fiction have been praised by The Harvard Crimson, Southern Living, The Charlotte Observer and The New York Times, among others.
A lifelong literary nerd, she promotes reading, interviews authors, and teaches writing seminars, speaking frequently at libraries, conferences, and bookstores around the United States. Kimmery completed her medical training at the University of Louisville School of Medicine and the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. She lives with her husband and three children in Charlotte, North Carolina. For the last two years, she’s been working on a novel about a group of female doctors on the frontlines during an emerging viral pandemic; it will be released from Penguin Random House in Fall 2021. Her latest novel, The Antidote for Everything, is available now.
A lifelong literary nerd, she promotes reading, interviews authors, and teaches writing seminars, speaking frequently at libraries, conferences, and bookstores around the United States. Kimmery completed her medical training at the University of Louisville School of Medicine and the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. She lives with her husband and three children in Charlotte, North Carolina. For the last two years, she’s been working on a novel about a group of female doctors on the frontlines during an emerging viral pandemic; it will be released from Penguin Random House in Fall 2021. Her latest novel, The Antidote for Everything, is available now.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,224 reviews
December 7, 2018
Let my curious blues land on a cover as gorgeous as this beauty queen and I’m instantly charmed. I know, sounds silly and superficial, right? They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but what do they know anyway? It just so happens, things worked in my favor this time—The Queen of Hearts is more than just a pretty face—the storyline itself is actually quite lovely, despite the twisted lies and jealousy at the heart of it all.
Something major happened during Emma and Zadie’s third year of medical school and they’ve vowed to leave in the past—to never speak of it again. Unfortunately, the appearance of Doctor Nick Xenokostas stirs up everything. Once Zadie’s guy and chief resident, he’s relocated to North Carolina and adamant about seeing her. After all of this time, you have to wonder why? Both Emma and Zadie are successful doctors with husbands and kids; they’ve moved on. Or wait, have they?
“I wish you weren’t so lovely.”
For this lover of love, it was uncovering what could have torn a magnetic couple like Dr. X and Zadie apart that fueled my page turning frenzy. Kimmery Martin alternates between Zadie and Emma’s perspective—from both the past and the present—as the story builds to the climax and I’ve gotta say, the truth is pretty harsh. She juxtaposes the personalities of these two women, while also managing to convey to the reader just how close of a friendship they've always maintained. These two come off as relatable women—overextended, but likable and genuine, on some levels—which made the reader/character connection effortless, on my part. Something I truly appreciate as a reader.
“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.”
There’s no hiding the fact that Kimmery Martin is a doctor (no way a non-medical professional could have pulled this off) or that she's passionate about her work—it certainly shines through in her writing. There is a ton of medical jargon and procedures threaded throughout the storyline, which could have gone one of two ways. Thankfully, I found most of it to be quite interesting. I will say, there were a few spots in the beginning of the story where the adjectives felt a little overused and clunky, but maybe that's because I had to take the time to look a few of them up. Who knows though, maybe I'm better for it in the long run—reading is supposed to make you smarter, right?
In a story riddled with tension and intrigue, the author manages to inject some comedic relief; especially when 3-year-old Delaney is on the scene—talk about witty and endearing. I laughed every time she was around. Her funny little monikers—“Hi, beloved dear!” or “Fank you, honey dears!“—and silly antics were the BEST.
If you're a reader that enjoys women’s fiction with a slight edge of suspense, you should definitely consider picking up this author's debut. Zadie and Emma’s story is surprising. Angsty. Heartbreaking. Thought-provoking. What-might-have-been inducing. Similar to this reader, you might finding yourself questioning, how well do ever really know someone?
*Thank you to Berkley and Edelweiss for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Something major happened during Emma and Zadie’s third year of medical school and they’ve vowed to leave in the past—to never speak of it again. Unfortunately, the appearance of Doctor Nick Xenokostas stirs up everything. Once Zadie’s guy and chief resident, he’s relocated to North Carolina and adamant about seeing her. After all of this time, you have to wonder why? Both Emma and Zadie are successful doctors with husbands and kids; they’ve moved on. Or wait, have they?
“I wish you weren’t so lovely.”
For this lover of love, it was uncovering what could have torn a magnetic couple like Dr. X and Zadie apart that fueled my page turning frenzy. Kimmery Martin alternates between Zadie and Emma’s perspective—from both the past and the present—as the story builds to the climax and I’ve gotta say, the truth is pretty harsh. She juxtaposes the personalities of these two women, while also managing to convey to the reader just how close of a friendship they've always maintained. These two come off as relatable women—overextended, but likable and genuine, on some levels—which made the reader/character connection effortless, on my part. Something I truly appreciate as a reader.
“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.”
There’s no hiding the fact that Kimmery Martin is a doctor (no way a non-medical professional could have pulled this off) or that she's passionate about her work—it certainly shines through in her writing. There is a ton of medical jargon and procedures threaded throughout the storyline, which could have gone one of two ways. Thankfully, I found most of it to be quite interesting. I will say, there were a few spots in the beginning of the story where the adjectives felt a little overused and clunky, but maybe that's because I had to take the time to look a few of them up. Who knows though, maybe I'm better for it in the long run—reading is supposed to make you smarter, right?
In a story riddled with tension and intrigue, the author manages to inject some comedic relief; especially when 3-year-old Delaney is on the scene—talk about witty and endearing. I laughed every time she was around. Her funny little monikers—“Hi, beloved dear!” or “Fank you, honey dears!“—and silly antics were the BEST.
If you're a reader that enjoys women’s fiction with a slight edge of suspense, you should definitely consider picking up this author's debut. Zadie and Emma’s story is surprising. Angsty. Heartbreaking. Thought-provoking. What-might-have-been inducing. Similar to this reader, you might finding yourself questioning, how well do ever really know someone?
*Thank you to Berkley and Edelweiss for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 21, 2018
Cover Love!
THE QUEEN OF HEARTS by KIMMERY MARTIN is an intriguing, thought-provoking, and richly written medical drama that explores the relationship between two medical doctors with themes of friendship, betrayal and the act of forgiveness. Some of us found it quite heavy on the medical aspect and the drama within the storyline and this ultimately affected what coulee we ended up in.
KIMMERY MARTIN delivers a well-written, interesting and a compelling story here with some comedic relief interspersed within to lighten the mood of the tension and drama to this story. We all absolutely loved cute and adorable Delaney and wanted a bit more of her involved in the storyline. She was the most adorable and witty character of this story with the most cutest lines ever! She had us laughing out loud with some of her witty banter with sayings like, “Hi, beloved dear!”, “I’m sorry, darling honey. I’m sorry!” or “Mommy? Are we still in love?”.
This was a Traveling Sisters Group Read, and this book had so many different reactions from all of us. With a few of the sisters leaving the coulee around the halfway mark of reading this or before, a few of us that stuck with it to the end but maybe wished that they would have left the coulee, and a couple of us that quite enjoyed this story, including myself.
So with the high amount of medical jargon and procedures weaved into the storyline this is where it separated us as readers. A few of us thought it was quite interesting and were intrigued while the rest were bored and uninterested.
To sum it all up it was a steady-paced, heartfelt, interesting, and a medically rich story that was quite entertaining and enjoyable for me to read. Would recommend if you are looking for something different and highly recommend if you love those very popular medical TV dramas.
Published: February 13, 2018 by Berkley
Thank you so much to Edelweiss, Berkley & Kimmery Martin for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review!
Review written and posted on our themed book blog Two Sisters Lost In A Coulee Reading.
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com
Coulee: a term applied rather loosely to different landforms, all of which refer to a kind of valley.
THE QUEEN OF HEARTS by KIMMERY MARTIN is an intriguing, thought-provoking, and richly written medical drama that explores the relationship between two medical doctors with themes of friendship, betrayal and the act of forgiveness. Some of us found it quite heavy on the medical aspect and the drama within the storyline and this ultimately affected what coulee we ended up in.
KIMMERY MARTIN delivers a well-written, interesting and a compelling story here with some comedic relief interspersed within to lighten the mood of the tension and drama to this story. We all absolutely loved cute and adorable Delaney and wanted a bit more of her involved in the storyline. She was the most adorable and witty character of this story with the most cutest lines ever! She had us laughing out loud with some of her witty banter with sayings like, “Hi, beloved dear!”, “I’m sorry, darling honey. I’m sorry!” or “Mommy? Are we still in love?”.
This was a Traveling Sisters Group Read, and this book had so many different reactions from all of us. With a few of the sisters leaving the coulee around the halfway mark of reading this or before, a few of us that stuck with it to the end but maybe wished that they would have left the coulee, and a couple of us that quite enjoyed this story, including myself.
So with the high amount of medical jargon and procedures weaved into the storyline this is where it separated us as readers. A few of us thought it was quite interesting and were intrigued while the rest were bored and uninterested.
To sum it all up it was a steady-paced, heartfelt, interesting, and a medically rich story that was quite entertaining and enjoyable for me to read. Would recommend if you are looking for something different and highly recommend if you love those very popular medical TV dramas.
Published: February 13, 2018 by Berkley
Thank you so much to Edelweiss, Berkley & Kimmery Martin for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review!
Review written and posted on our themed book blog Two Sisters Lost In A Coulee Reading.
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com
Coulee: a term applied rather loosely to different landforms, all of which refer to a kind of valley.
February 2, 2019
3.75 stars to the medical drama, The Queen of Hearts! 🌟 🌟 🌟.75
I had been highly anticipating reading The Queen of Hearts for months now, ever since I saw that cover. While it did not quite live up to my very high expectations, I found a considerable amount of enjoyment within these pages!
What I loved:
Three-year-old Delaney, Zadie’s daughter! Her witty and adorable comments were the highlight of the book for me. The supportive friendship between Zadie and Emma (at least in the beginning). Graduate school would have been much harder for me personally without friendships to anchor me, and that part was relatable. The sheer entertainment. This book was more dramatic than my typical choice of reads, but I found many things that transpired to be exciting and enthralling.
While the medical jargon added to the authenticity, at times it was a touch heavy for me. Nonetheless, it gave it that E.R. and Grey’s Anatomy feel, as did the layers of drama and heartache.
Overall, this was a well-written and engaging debut from Kimmery Martin! If you are a fan of Grey’s Anatomy, you should definitely check out this charming medical drama.
Thank you to Kimmery Martin, Berkley, and Edelweiss for the complimentary copy to review.
I had been highly anticipating reading The Queen of Hearts for months now, ever since I saw that cover. While it did not quite live up to my very high expectations, I found a considerable amount of enjoyment within these pages!
What I loved:
Three-year-old Delaney, Zadie’s daughter! Her witty and adorable comments were the highlight of the book for me. The supportive friendship between Zadie and Emma (at least in the beginning). Graduate school would have been much harder for me personally without friendships to anchor me, and that part was relatable. The sheer entertainment. This book was more dramatic than my typical choice of reads, but I found many things that transpired to be exciting and enthralling.
While the medical jargon added to the authenticity, at times it was a touch heavy for me. Nonetheless, it gave it that E.R. and Grey’s Anatomy feel, as did the layers of drama and heartache.
Overall, this was a well-written and engaging debut from Kimmery Martin! If you are a fan of Grey’s Anatomy, you should definitely check out this charming medical drama.
Thank you to Kimmery Martin, Berkley, and Edelweiss for the complimentary copy to review.
January 8, 2018
How could I resist a book with such a gorgeous cover? Unfortunately, for me the cover probably ended up being my favourite part of The Queen of Hearts.
I used to be drawn to medical dramas. In high school, I watched my fair share of episodes of General Hospital. In later years, I was an avid watcher of ER and more recently I binge watched of few seasons of Greys Anatomy. And these melodramatic hospital based shows are what I was reminded of as I read The Queen of Hearts. But I think I’m not so into hospital soaps anymore…
The Queen of Hearts focuses on Zaidie and Emma, who are both surgeons living in Charlotte, North Carolina. The story moves back and forth in time between when they were medical students working together in a hospital and over ten years later when they continue to be close friends working as surgeons in Charlotte. But it turns out that there’s a deep secret between them which comes to life when Dr. X comes to town (I kid you not – Dr. X!)…
Before I become too negative, I have two caveats. First, Martin is a talented writer. She gives Zaidie a great voice and quirky personality, and I would have probably loved this book if it focused on Zaidie and a different storyline. And she has created a truly distinct and funny three year old character in the form of Zaidie’s daughter – her three year old logic provided genuine comic relief.
But, unfortunately, for me Emma and the unraveling of the deep dark secret did not work as well. There was too much breathless foreshadowing of something terrible which was ultimately revealed as something odd that did not ring true. And there was also too much attention to physical appearance for my taste. As I say, this was pretty close to hospital based soaps…
This one comes completely down to a question of taste. I like a light book every now and then, but this one was not the right fit. Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for giving me access to an advance copy.
I used to be drawn to medical dramas. In high school, I watched my fair share of episodes of General Hospital. In later years, I was an avid watcher of ER and more recently I binge watched of few seasons of Greys Anatomy. And these melodramatic hospital based shows are what I was reminded of as I read The Queen of Hearts. But I think I’m not so into hospital soaps anymore…
The Queen of Hearts focuses on Zaidie and Emma, who are both surgeons living in Charlotte, North Carolina. The story moves back and forth in time between when they were medical students working together in a hospital and over ten years later when they continue to be close friends working as surgeons in Charlotte. But it turns out that there’s a deep secret between them which comes to life when Dr. X comes to town (I kid you not – Dr. X!)…
Before I become too negative, I have two caveats. First, Martin is a talented writer. She gives Zaidie a great voice and quirky personality, and I would have probably loved this book if it focused on Zaidie and a different storyline. And she has created a truly distinct and funny three year old character in the form of Zaidie’s daughter – her three year old logic provided genuine comic relief.
But, unfortunately, for me Emma and the unraveling of the deep dark secret did not work as well. There was too much breathless foreshadowing of something terrible which was ultimately revealed as something odd that did not ring true. And there was also too much attention to physical appearance for my taste. As I say, this was pretty close to hospital based soaps…
This one comes completely down to a question of taste. I like a light book every now and then, but this one was not the right fit. Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for giving me access to an advance copy.
June 2, 2018
The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin is a 2018 Berkley publication.
A suspenseful and emotional medical drama
Zadie and Emma have been best friends since their medical school days. They come from completely different backgrounds, but the friendship has endured countless trials, marriages, children, and demanding careers. Their lives are hectic, and filled with family and career related challenges, triumphs, and tragedies. They share all of it with one another, asking and giving advice, sympathizing with, and supporting one another. But, the one thing they never, ever, never talk about is their third year in Med school…
Imagine all the angst, medical intensity, the emotion, heartbreak, tragedy and high drama of Grey’s Anatomy, but with a darker, edgier, suspenseful tone running beneath the surface.
Queen of Hearts has this bipolar thing going on. On one hand, it’s a chick-lit novel about besties who stick with each other through all of life’s various valleys and peaks, but there’s a ‘dark side’, a sinister feeling of foreboding, of impending doom. It’s not just the emotional gut-punches, the graphic medical situations, or the appearance of Dr. X, who will most assuredly bring down all the carefully constructed walls built by Zadie and Emma when it comes to the past, and who also holds the power in the palm of his gifted hands, to once again, leave devastation in his wake.
It’s like watching a train wreck. You know it’s coming, but you are helpless to stop it, and you can’t tear your eyes away from the impending impact, or the carnage left behind.
I finished reading this book over two weeks ago. It has taken me this long to formulate my feelings. When I turned that last page I experienced a fuzzy feeling of disorientation. I really had to take some time to process it.
Finally, I think I can attempt to explain my thoughts. I admit I had quite a few conflicting feelings about how everything played out. Wow. I mean- wow. Once I had begun to form an opinion that would stick, I realized I couldn’t really explain how I had come to that point without giving too much away.
This review is long, and contains a lot of introspection and retrospection on my part, but it’s the mark of a good story when it prompts the reader to dig deeper and reflect on what they might do in a similar situation. It’s a gritty medical drama, but it’s also an ode to life, family, and above all friendship. So bear with me.
What a tangled web we weave….
Lies, betrayals, manipulations, and secrets- this book has them packed in so tight it can hardly contain them all. I still can’t wrap my head around some of it, and my feelings are still unsettled, even now. This story is part cautionary tale, partly a tale of borderline obsession, with a river of deception, envy, insecurities and competition. But, rest assured- your sins will always find you out. You can bury them, ignore them, hide them, and run from them, but eventually the truth bubbles to the surface. There are always consequences for our actions, some that take no prisoners, who hurt the very people we love and respect. Everyone has a secret, everyone has made questionable decisions, let our morals sick below our own standards. Atonement is a must, redemption hoped for. But, it is forgiveness that is the hardest thing to accomplish, but it is also the most powerful, effective ability humans are capable of.
Now, I can’t sit here and tell you my feelings are completely settled about this story, as I continue to struggle with ongoing conflicts. But, I think the story speaks to the powerful, but mysterious bonds of friendship. Friendship is a relationship like no other. It can be fraught with insecurities and jealousies, and is fragile in a way many other relationships are not, being devoid of familial bonds or the power of romantic love. Yet, it can create an unshakable bond, a special kind of love, a fierce loyalty and devotion, it brings out a certain kind of protectiveness and can often endure hardships that other relationships would never survive.
While there is a lot of emotional turmoil in this story, many heart rending situations and high drama, there is also the ‘light’ side of the story. The side where people rise to the occasion and do the right thing, where something good comes from something bad, and where the good side wins out in the end!
This story turned out to be much more than I had anticipated. I was on pins and needles from start to finish, swallowed a painful lump or two, cursed, fretted, and fumed. But, when all was said and done, I think this was a very well -constructed novel, filled with human foibles, realistic family challenges, and amazing depictions of human beings at their very worst, but also at their finest. Not only that, I love medical dramas- oh- and southern fiction- so there's that, too! ��
A suspenseful and emotional medical drama
Zadie and Emma have been best friends since their medical school days. They come from completely different backgrounds, but the friendship has endured countless trials, marriages, children, and demanding careers. Their lives are hectic, and filled with family and career related challenges, triumphs, and tragedies. They share all of it with one another, asking and giving advice, sympathizing with, and supporting one another. But, the one thing they never, ever, never talk about is their third year in Med school…
Imagine all the angst, medical intensity, the emotion, heartbreak, tragedy and high drama of Grey’s Anatomy, but with a darker, edgier, suspenseful tone running beneath the surface.
Queen of Hearts has this bipolar thing going on. On one hand, it’s a chick-lit novel about besties who stick with each other through all of life’s various valleys and peaks, but there’s a ‘dark side’, a sinister feeling of foreboding, of impending doom. It’s not just the emotional gut-punches, the graphic medical situations, or the appearance of Dr. X, who will most assuredly bring down all the carefully constructed walls built by Zadie and Emma when it comes to the past, and who also holds the power in the palm of his gifted hands, to once again, leave devastation in his wake.
It’s like watching a train wreck. You know it’s coming, but you are helpless to stop it, and you can’t tear your eyes away from the impending impact, or the carnage left behind.
I finished reading this book over two weeks ago. It has taken me this long to formulate my feelings. When I turned that last page I experienced a fuzzy feeling of disorientation. I really had to take some time to process it.
Finally, I think I can attempt to explain my thoughts. I admit I had quite a few conflicting feelings about how everything played out. Wow. I mean- wow. Once I had begun to form an opinion that would stick, I realized I couldn’t really explain how I had come to that point without giving too much away.
This review is long, and contains a lot of introspection and retrospection on my part, but it’s the mark of a good story when it prompts the reader to dig deeper and reflect on what they might do in a similar situation. It’s a gritty medical drama, but it’s also an ode to life, family, and above all friendship. So bear with me.
What a tangled web we weave….
Lies, betrayals, manipulations, and secrets- this book has them packed in so tight it can hardly contain them all. I still can’t wrap my head around some of it, and my feelings are still unsettled, even now. This story is part cautionary tale, partly a tale of borderline obsession, with a river of deception, envy, insecurities and competition. But, rest assured- your sins will always find you out. You can bury them, ignore them, hide them, and run from them, but eventually the truth bubbles to the surface. There are always consequences for our actions, some that take no prisoners, who hurt the very people we love and respect. Everyone has a secret, everyone has made questionable decisions, let our morals sick below our own standards. Atonement is a must, redemption hoped for. But, it is forgiveness that is the hardest thing to accomplish, but it is also the most powerful, effective ability humans are capable of.
Now, I can’t sit here and tell you my feelings are completely settled about this story, as I continue to struggle with ongoing conflicts. But, I think the story speaks to the powerful, but mysterious bonds of friendship. Friendship is a relationship like no other. It can be fraught with insecurities and jealousies, and is fragile in a way many other relationships are not, being devoid of familial bonds or the power of romantic love. Yet, it can create an unshakable bond, a special kind of love, a fierce loyalty and devotion, it brings out a certain kind of protectiveness and can often endure hardships that other relationships would never survive.
While there is a lot of emotional turmoil in this story, many heart rending situations and high drama, there is also the ‘light’ side of the story. The side where people rise to the occasion and do the right thing, where something good comes from something bad, and where the good side wins out in the end!
This story turned out to be much more than I had anticipated. I was on pins and needles from start to finish, swallowed a painful lump or two, cursed, fretted, and fumed. But, when all was said and done, I think this was a very well -constructed novel, filled with human foibles, realistic family challenges, and amazing depictions of human beings at their very worst, but also at their finest. Not only that, I love medical dramas- oh- and southern fiction- so there's that, too! ��
February 18, 2018
2 Stars.
Zadie and Emma are best friends. They have been since medical school. Now both are successful doctors with beautiful families. Their lives should be perfect right? Yet both have secrets they want to keep hidden, some of which they have even kept from each other. Now, with the arrival of someone they used to know, their secrets are threatening to come out and nothing is as it appears.
“Queen of Hearts” is a book about family, friendship and secrets that threaten to destroy their very existence. Unfortunately, I found the premise of the novel to be somewhat far-fetched and also felt that it was filled with a lot of medical jargon which overtook a good portion of the story. The bright spot in this novel however, is Zadie’s daughter, three year-old Delaney, who would breakout with statements like “Hi, Beloved Dear” and “Hello big kids.” Her antics never ceased to make me laugh. I would love to see the author, Kimmery Martin, write a novel about her. Delaney is a rock star!
Thank you to Edelweiss, Berkeley and Kimmery Martin for a courtesy copy of this novel in exchange for this honest review.
Published on Edelweiss and Goodreads on 2.18.18.
Zadie and Emma are best friends. They have been since medical school. Now both are successful doctors with beautiful families. Their lives should be perfect right? Yet both have secrets they want to keep hidden, some of which they have even kept from each other. Now, with the arrival of someone they used to know, their secrets are threatening to come out and nothing is as it appears.
“Queen of Hearts” is a book about family, friendship and secrets that threaten to destroy their very existence. Unfortunately, I found the premise of the novel to be somewhat far-fetched and also felt that it was filled with a lot of medical jargon which overtook a good portion of the story. The bright spot in this novel however, is Zadie’s daughter, three year-old Delaney, who would breakout with statements like “Hi, Beloved Dear” and “Hello big kids.” Her antics never ceased to make me laugh. I would love to see the author, Kimmery Martin, write a novel about her. Delaney is a rock star!
Thank you to Edelweiss, Berkeley and Kimmery Martin for a courtesy copy of this novel in exchange for this honest review.
Published on Edelweiss and Goodreads on 2.18.18.
June 11, 2018
3.75
Ok any Grey’s Anatomy fans out there? I admit I used to be obsessed with the show...I no longer watch it because it has 1029 seasons & you can only watch so many love triangles and tons of medical conditions so much.
My point is, if you love the show I think you will love this book! The Queen of Hearts is a chick lit medical drama book all about a female friendship and how the appearance of someone from both of their past shakes things up.
👩⚕️ 🚑
I devoured this book in a few days. I really enjoyed the medical drama aspect of it and there was a mystery element behind it which had me turning the pages quickly.
We follow both main characters POV in the book and we also get flashbacks to when they were 3rd year interns..remember the good ole days on Greys, just like that!
🏨
♥️
Overall the mystery element was easily figured out which I didn’t hate but I wanted more from it. I enjoyed the friendship between Zadie and Emma and loved reading about their careers and family.
Overall if your a fan of chick lit books, I think you would like it.
If your a fan of medical dramas, I’d say definitely read this.
Ok any Grey’s Anatomy fans out there? I admit I used to be obsessed with the show...I no longer watch it because it has 1029 seasons & you can only watch so many love triangles and tons of medical conditions so much.
My point is, if you love the show I think you will love this book! The Queen of Hearts is a chick lit medical drama book all about a female friendship and how the appearance of someone from both of their past shakes things up.
👩⚕️ 🚑
I devoured this book in a few days. I really enjoyed the medical drama aspect of it and there was a mystery element behind it which had me turning the pages quickly.
We follow both main characters POV in the book and we also get flashbacks to when they were 3rd year interns..remember the good ole days on Greys, just like that!
🏨
♥️
Overall the mystery element was easily figured out which I didn’t hate but I wanted more from it. I enjoyed the friendship between Zadie and Emma and loved reading about their careers and family.
Overall if your a fan of chick lit books, I think you would like it.
If your a fan of medical dramas, I’d say definitely read this.
September 17, 2017
I am perpetually in awe of people who can write. In this book Dr. Martin shows us the crazy world of medical training, weaving medicine, motherhood, and friendship through these beautifully written pages. I did not want to put this book down and was literally sad when it ended. I cannot wait to see what comes next from this unbelievably talented author!
January 26, 2018
Full disclosure: Kimmery and I are both part of TheDebutanteBall.com and I received a free copy form Net Galley in exchange for a review.
I absolutely loved Kimmery Martin's tone of voice. I was sucked in right from the beginning by her unexpected and endearing prose.
"Meanwhile, as a toddler, I’d aspired to be bulldozer, a career plan that received the enthusiastic support of my older brother…Unfortunately, it soon became evident I did not have what it took to be an actual bulldozer, what with being human and all."
"…I have to be poured out of bed each morning like human syrup, and I lurch around emitting miserable squeaks until I’m caffeinated."
"I smiled, running my fingers through my hair, which had responded to its release from the ER cap by springing out in all directions in a belligerent pale brown explosion."
The Queen of Hearts follows two female physicians from medical school to their married lives with children in an alternating POV. Martin does an excellent job of maintaining tension as she jumps back and forth in time from med school to the present day, as we try to fathom what dark secret will be revealed.
Humorous yet filled with real-world drama, Martin's characters deal with real life or death at work at the hospital, the family drama of raising strong-willed children where the stakes are different but often just as high, and the complications of maintaining a friendship when the past refuses to stay buried.
I absolutely loved Kimmery Martin's tone of voice. I was sucked in right from the beginning by her unexpected and endearing prose.
"Meanwhile, as a toddler, I’d aspired to be bulldozer, a career plan that received the enthusiastic support of my older brother…Unfortunately, it soon became evident I did not have what it took to be an actual bulldozer, what with being human and all."
"…I have to be poured out of bed each morning like human syrup, and I lurch around emitting miserable squeaks until I’m caffeinated."
"I smiled, running my fingers through my hair, which had responded to its release from the ER cap by springing out in all directions in a belligerent pale brown explosion."
The Queen of Hearts follows two female physicians from medical school to their married lives with children in an alternating POV. Martin does an excellent job of maintaining tension as she jumps back and forth in time from med school to the present day, as we try to fathom what dark secret will be revealed.
Humorous yet filled with real-world drama, Martin's characters deal with real life or death at work at the hospital, the family drama of raising strong-willed children where the stakes are different but often just as high, and the complications of maintaining a friendship when the past refuses to stay buried.
February 15, 2018
Zadie and Emma have a friendship that has stood the test of time. They went to medical school together, endured the highs and lows of dating, and are now juggling the demands of a family as neighbors in North Carolina. Their lives and careers were pretty uneventful until a colleague nicknamed, Dr. X joined their staff.
Neither Zadie or Emma are happy with Dr. X’s arrival because each is keeping secrets from the past. Zadie had a romance with Dr. X but kept it discreet since he was the chief resident. Emma has her own misgivings because she has kept secrets from Zadie that may be unveiled. Dr. X’s presence threatens to destroy their longstanding friendship.
This is a debut novel by Kimmery Martin, who was able to draw on her experience as a doctor. I enjoyed this book which explores the relationship between two women via their life experiences. From this book, I also learned a new expression for an Ace Wrap!
Neither Zadie or Emma are happy with Dr. X’s arrival because each is keeping secrets from the past. Zadie had a romance with Dr. X but kept it discreet since he was the chief resident. Emma has her own misgivings because she has kept secrets from Zadie that may be unveiled. Dr. X’s presence threatens to destroy their longstanding friendship.
This is a debut novel by Kimmery Martin, who was able to draw on her experience as a doctor. I enjoyed this book which explores the relationship between two women via their life experiences. From this book, I also learned a new expression for an Ace Wrap!
did-not-finish
July 8, 2019DNF @ 40%. I tried giving this one another shot, but it just did not work for me. I really didn't jive with the main characters or the crass writing style.
February 21, 2018
3 stars
This was an entertaining medical suspense drama revolving around best friends and fellow doctors, Emma and Zadie. I enjoyed it for the most part, but found the medical detail to be quite heavy and overpowering. It had a Grey’s Anatomy feel to it which I enjoyed (I used to love watching that show!)
I really liked Emma and Zadie’s friendship. They had a bond strong enough to last decades – through medical school, marriage, children, busy careers – they still managed to find time to dedicate to their friendship. I felt in “awe” of them at several points being able to juggle life the way they did.
As much as I enjoyed the friendship part of this story, I had a hard time with the extreme medical detail. I felt it went overboard to the point that I skimmed a lot of it and it took away from the story.
This was a Traveling Sister Read and we had varying opinions. As always, it was a pleasure to discuss with my “sisters” along the way. To find this review, along with the other Traveling Sister Read reviews, please visit Brenda and Norma’s fabulous blog at:
https://twogirlslostinacouleereading....
A big thank you to Edelweiss, Berkley and Kimmery Martin for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
Publication Date: February 13, 2018.
This was an entertaining medical suspense drama revolving around best friends and fellow doctors, Emma and Zadie. I enjoyed it for the most part, but found the medical detail to be quite heavy and overpowering. It had a Grey’s Anatomy feel to it which I enjoyed (I used to love watching that show!)
I really liked Emma and Zadie’s friendship. They had a bond strong enough to last decades – through medical school, marriage, children, busy careers – they still managed to find time to dedicate to their friendship. I felt in “awe” of them at several points being able to juggle life the way they did.
As much as I enjoyed the friendship part of this story, I had a hard time with the extreme medical detail. I felt it went overboard to the point that I skimmed a lot of it and it took away from the story.
This was a Traveling Sister Read and we had varying opinions. As always, it was a pleasure to discuss with my “sisters” along the way. To find this review, along with the other Traveling Sister Read reviews, please visit Brenda and Norma’s fabulous blog at:
https://twogirlslostinacouleereading....
A big thank you to Edelweiss, Berkley and Kimmery Martin for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
Publication Date: February 13, 2018.
February 13, 2022
What I really loved about this book was the way the author brought her medical background into play and made scenes with the two main characters (both doctors) so vivid and realistic. The best part of the book! Emma and Zady were best friends in medical school in rural Kentucky, and now, a decade later, are still friends in North Carolina, having married men they love and started families. This is primarily a story of friendship.
I liked the medical scenes, and found them fascinating.
Trigger Warnings:
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
I liked the medical scenes, and found them fascinating.
Trigger Warnings:
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
October 16, 2018
I have never written a goodreads review before, but I felt compelled to do so by this travesty of a novel. I should've known that this book wouldn't be life-changing when I realized that the most consistently applauded feature was it's beautiful cover design. At first, I thought it was just typical fluffy fiction- accurately described as Grey's Anatomy in book form. Unfortunately, as I continued to read I realized how utterly toxic and reductive this book was. I lost track of the number of times one of the main characters was described as curvaceous or voluptuous, though still quite thin (because god knows a woman couldn't be attractive if she was curvy but not skinny at the same time!). There were two insensitive comments about overweight people in ONE chapter- including a joke that an elevator might not be able to hold the usual 10 people because someone on board was "weight-challenged." One of the characters sees an ER patient who is African American and- shocker- she's there because someone messed up her weave! This is directly followed by a foreign patient who speaks broken English and confuses "ace wrap" as in ace bandage with "ass rape." Hysterical right?! If this book had plodded along with its flowery descriptors of wealth, clothing, and evening galas, I probably would've been content to give it 2 stars and say nothing. But this regressive BS has no place in contemporary literature and I felt compelled to warn other readers. Do not judge a book by its cover- the appealing image belies nothing of the train wreck that lies within.
November 10, 2017
This book is a beautifully written, compelling read that is full of delicious treats: laugh-out-loud humor; an equally riveting view of the home front as from the hospital; and an unflinching yet tender acknowledgment of doctors as flawed human beings who struggle to reconcile their biggest mistakes and regrets with a professional pedestal that demands perfection.
Undoubtably, Martin's insider perspective of the medical profession is one of the coolest things about this novel. She nails the camaraderie, energy, humor, pressure, heartbreak, and connection that experiencing the human condition in all its base and most miraculous forms yields. THE QUEEN OF HEARTS opens up a fascinating world and makes it both accessible and riveting.
The friendship between main characters Zadie and Emma feels familiar and essential, and underscores emotional stakes that resonated easily with me.
And Kimmery Martin's writing is a true pleasure to read. Every page is exquisitely wrought, without seeming dense, difficult, or heavy handed. Her story-telling stayed with me long after I turned the last page. THE QUEEN OF HEARTS is absolutely one of my all-time favorites.
Undoubtably, Martin's insider perspective of the medical profession is one of the coolest things about this novel. She nails the camaraderie, energy, humor, pressure, heartbreak, and connection that experiencing the human condition in all its base and most miraculous forms yields. THE QUEEN OF HEARTS opens up a fascinating world and makes it both accessible and riveting.
The friendship between main characters Zadie and Emma feels familiar and essential, and underscores emotional stakes that resonated easily with me.
And Kimmery Martin's writing is a true pleasure to read. Every page is exquisitely wrought, without seeming dense, difficult, or heavy handed. Her story-telling stayed with me long after I turned the last page. THE QUEEN OF HEARTS is absolutely one of my all-time favorites.
November 2, 2017
***ARC received for an honest review***
I took a gamble, and it paid off. This is a debut novel so when I agreed to read the ARC I had no idea what lay ahead. But I read the blurb four times and stared at that gorgeous cover while my internal debate raged. And finally I thought "what the heck. If I hate it it'll be just another in my slew of hateful reviews." It turns out I needn't have worried.
First things first - Kimmery Martin is brilliant. Trying to avoid jumping to conclusions - but she must have a medical background. This is a realistic, educated, humorous, sweet and difficult novel about women - juggling their careers and their relationships and being just a little bit weird.
"In theory, that didn't sound difficult, but in reality, each child added an exponential level of complexity, so that we'd had to plaster an entire wall of the playroom at home with a whiteboard covered in Venn diagrams and annotations about the logistics of everyone's soccer, ballet, field hockey and guitar lessons."
Zadie and Emma meet at Brain Camp and click. We travel from the present to the past in revolving POVs exploring med school, motherhood, the pressures of being a surgeon, first love and, ultimately, the very core of Zadie and Emma's beautiful and complicated friendship. There's a perfect combination of realism (lots of medical vocabulary) without it becoming cumbersome. I felt Ms Martin struck a precarious balance and maintained it throughout the book. Erudite and clever without being dispassionate or smug - she found that place that pulls a reader in without smothering them.
All of that said - that ending. Guys, I need you to read this book when it's published and comment about the ending. I finished the book 12 hours ago, and I still don't know how I feel. Was it the right thing? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
"At some point, the theoretical becomes the inevitable. You either cross the river or you don't. I'd known what I was doing, even if I buried the knowledge under a toxic mountain of denial."
I took a gamble, and it paid off. This is a debut novel so when I agreed to read the ARC I had no idea what lay ahead. But I read the blurb four times and stared at that gorgeous cover while my internal debate raged. And finally I thought "what the heck. If I hate it it'll be just another in my slew of hateful reviews." It turns out I needn't have worried.
First things first - Kimmery Martin is brilliant. Trying to avoid jumping to conclusions - but she must have a medical background. This is a realistic, educated, humorous, sweet and difficult novel about women - juggling their careers and their relationships and being just a little bit weird.
"In theory, that didn't sound difficult, but in reality, each child added an exponential level of complexity, so that we'd had to plaster an entire wall of the playroom at home with a whiteboard covered in Venn diagrams and annotations about the logistics of everyone's soccer, ballet, field hockey and guitar lessons."
Zadie and Emma meet at Brain Camp and click. We travel from the present to the past in revolving POVs exploring med school, motherhood, the pressures of being a surgeon, first love and, ultimately, the very core of Zadie and Emma's beautiful and complicated friendship. There's a perfect combination of realism (lots of medical vocabulary) without it becoming cumbersome. I felt Ms Martin struck a precarious balance and maintained it throughout the book. Erudite and clever without being dispassionate or smug - she found that place that pulls a reader in without smothering them.
All of that said - that ending. Guys, I need you to read this book when it's published and comment about the ending. I finished the book 12 hours ago, and I still don't know how I feel. Was it the right thing? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
"At some point, the theoretical becomes the inevitable. You either cross the river or you don't. I'd known what I was doing, even if I buried the knowledge under a toxic mountain of denial."
December 5, 2017
This book has the medical drama, excitement, and steamy work romance of Gray’s Anatomy, and the female bonds, motherhood struggles, secrets, heartbreak, and wit of Big Little Lies tied up in one delectable package. I LOVED it, and I couldn’t get enough of it.
I think that this book is BETTER than Gray’s Anatomy. I could practically hear the EKG monitors beeping in the background as I read the hospital scenes. Dr. X reminds me of Gray’s Anatomy’s McDreamy or McSteamy.
This book has the female bonds, motherhood struggles, secrets, heartbreak, and wit of Big Little Lies. I absolutely loved it. I have been looking for this type of writing, with its humor and depth ever since I finished Big Little Lies. This is the only book that I think is comparable.
I loved the humor. It made me laugh out loud so many times. The author’s writing style is so warm, friendly, and funny. I really hope that Kimmery Martin writes a sequel of this book and that she is not done with Zadie and Emma's story. I want them to live on in another book. Highly recommend.
I think that this book is BETTER than Gray’s Anatomy. I could practically hear the EKG monitors beeping in the background as I read the hospital scenes. Dr. X reminds me of Gray’s Anatomy’s McDreamy or McSteamy.
This book has the female bonds, motherhood struggles, secrets, heartbreak, and wit of Big Little Lies. I absolutely loved it. I have been looking for this type of writing, with its humor and depth ever since I finished Big Little Lies. This is the only book that I think is comparable.
I loved the humor. It made me laugh out loud so many times. The author’s writing style is so warm, friendly, and funny. I really hope that Kimmery Martin writes a sequel of this book and that she is not done with Zadie and Emma's story. I want them to live on in another book. Highly recommend.
March 27, 2018
One long, unnecessarily wordy, anticlimactic, not quite Grey’s Anatomy episode. And I feel like I’m probably the only person who noticed that EVERY reference to people of color in this book was insultingly stereotypical. I created a list after the 4th time I noticed it.
-Wyatt, Emma’s Black husband is loud and boisterous has an Afro and a thick accent and “sort of a clown.”
-Black patient who identified himself as a street pharmacist who had been shot at least five times.
-So many gunshot victims were from a “seedy” area on a map marked with red pins, they looked like blood clots. He was a MS-13 member.
-Brown 4th yr resident, “Sanjay”, who was quiet and respectful and self obsessed while all the others were confident and self assured.
-Riding in the car picking up her six-year-old boy twins wanted to hear music and it was about smoking weed and flipping blunts and inappropriate rap music. Sipping syrup. Aside from the profane misogynistic lyrics.
-Charlotte, NC was set up such that the affluent neighborhoods were near the city but also meant being near the less affluent neighborhoods were too.
-Sometimes Drew went into some gangsta speech which was weird because he grew up in a lily white suburb. Bankers wanted to sound like rappers, suburban moms wanted to sound different and their offspring wanted to sound like gangsta rappers and dressed like football athletes.
-Patient Mrs Goodhouse comes in complaining about her “burning weave.” Dr they got to help her was “useless in this situation because he was blindingly white.”
-At the Arts Ball everyone amazing but Wyatt(Emma’s Black husband) looks like a “fat 5th grader.” Wyatt makes crass joke about being “black and hung like a 40oz of beer.”
WOW!! Really Kimmery Martin????
Issa No for me.
-Wyatt, Emma’s Black husband is loud and boisterous has an Afro and a thick accent and “sort of a clown.”
-Black patient who identified himself as a street pharmacist who had been shot at least five times.
-So many gunshot victims were from a “seedy” area on a map marked with red pins, they looked like blood clots. He was a MS-13 member.
-Brown 4th yr resident, “Sanjay”, who was quiet and respectful and self obsessed while all the others were confident and self assured.
-Riding in the car picking up her six-year-old boy twins wanted to hear music and it was about smoking weed and flipping blunts and inappropriate rap music. Sipping syrup. Aside from the profane misogynistic lyrics.
-Charlotte, NC was set up such that the affluent neighborhoods were near the city but also meant being near the less affluent neighborhoods were too.
-Sometimes Drew went into some gangsta speech which was weird because he grew up in a lily white suburb. Bankers wanted to sound like rappers, suburban moms wanted to sound different and their offspring wanted to sound like gangsta rappers and dressed like football athletes.
-Patient Mrs Goodhouse comes in complaining about her “burning weave.” Dr they got to help her was “useless in this situation because he was blindingly white.”
-At the Arts Ball everyone amazing but Wyatt(Emma’s Black husband) looks like a “fat 5th grader.” Wyatt makes crass joke about being “black and hung like a 40oz of beer.”
WOW!! Really Kimmery Martin????
Issa No for me.
December 28, 2018
Fans of Grey's Anatomy will LOVE THIS BOOK!!!
This story focuses on Zadie and Emma - best friend since medical school - now in private practice with families of their own. Zadie is a pediatric cardiologist and Emma is a surgeon. When Nick, chief resident during their medical school years, re-enters their lives secrets from their past are threatened to be exposed and their lives are turned upside down. Friendships are pushed to their limits and everything they believed to be true is threatened. This book was so well written, I could not put it down. I was so drawn into the characters lives and the suspense to find out what happened I literally could not put this book down.
This story focuses on Zadie and Emma - best friend since medical school - now in private practice with families of their own. Zadie is a pediatric cardiologist and Emma is a surgeon. When Nick, chief resident during their medical school years, re-enters their lives secrets from their past are threatened to be exposed and their lives are turned upside down. Friendships are pushed to their limits and everything they believed to be true is threatened. This book was so well written, I could not put it down. I was so drawn into the characters lives and the suspense to find out what happened I literally could not put this book down.
March 18, 2022
This book was okay. I have never seen Grey’s Anatomy and I’ve never been a fan of medical dramas, but I still wanted to give this book a read. While I did enjoy the friendship between Zadie and Emma in this book, I do feel like this story was bogged down by so much medical jargon that went way over my head and I was mostly confused as to what was happening most of the time. But if you enjoy medical dramas or if you’re a fan of Grey’s Anatomy this is probably the book for you! It just wasn’t for me.
November 15, 2017
This was a wonderful book about the power and strength of friendship. Zadie and Emma meet in medical school, and through the years their friendship grows. Secrecy and self-doubt are wound throughout the timeline, and in the end, will their long, tangled rich friendship be enough to overcome the terrible truth of past events?
I love the style of the story as it unfolds; present day and past are a fabulous way to tell this story. Emma's cool calm is admirable,, and Zadie's quirky antics and wit are a good contrast to each other. Both grow into well respected doctors; Emma renowned for trauma, Zadie for pediatric cardiology. The glance into the inner workings of doctors and the field of medicine casts a light on a professional field so many readers really know little of; doctors are human too, with many of the same fears as many of us, but also with an inner strength that few of us can deny.
I absolute commend this book for book groups, or readers of women's fiction, and even those who are interested in knowing more of what doctors have to go through. Great book!
I love the style of the story as it unfolds; present day and past are a fabulous way to tell this story. Emma's cool calm is admirable,, and Zadie's quirky antics and wit are a good contrast to each other. Both grow into well respected doctors; Emma renowned for trauma, Zadie for pediatric cardiology. The glance into the inner workings of doctors and the field of medicine casts a light on a professional field so many readers really know little of; doctors are human too, with many of the same fears as many of us, but also with an inner strength that few of us can deny.
I absolute commend this book for book groups, or readers of women's fiction, and even those who are interested in knowing more of what doctors have to go through. Great book!
November 30, 2017
Read all my reviews at: https://brainfartsandbooks.wordpress.com
Anyone else out there who is a total medical junkie? I mean the kind where you geek out when someone says myocardial infarction and you tell them you know exactly what that is (okay, so it’s medical talk for a heart attack. I’m sure you knew that though). But seriously, give me two of my favorite things-biology and fiction-and I’m a happy girl. So this story…yes, it’s a love triangle medical kind of story in which the two young women are dating two different guys and some crazy things happen. The women are now grown and married with children when one of the guys comes back into town and stirs up massive drama. Without giving any spoilers away I’d have to say this was one of my favorite reads this year simply because it didn’t have any added junk in it. And by added junk, I mean words that had nothing to do with any part of the plot…the blah, blah, blah you skim through to get to the good stuff. Full of medical stories and characters with real heart, this book was a winner!
Thank you to Netgalley, Kimmery Martin, and Berkley Publishing Group for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Anyone else out there who is a total medical junkie? I mean the kind where you geek out when someone says myocardial infarction and you tell them you know exactly what that is (okay, so it’s medical talk for a heart attack. I’m sure you knew that though). But seriously, give me two of my favorite things-biology and fiction-and I’m a happy girl. So this story…yes, it’s a love triangle medical kind of story in which the two young women are dating two different guys and some crazy things happen. The women are now grown and married with children when one of the guys comes back into town and stirs up massive drama. Without giving any spoilers away I’d have to say this was one of my favorite reads this year simply because it didn’t have any added junk in it. And by added junk, I mean words that had nothing to do with any part of the plot…the blah, blah, blah you skim through to get to the good stuff. Full of medical stories and characters with real heart, this book was a winner!
Thank you to Netgalley, Kimmery Martin, and Berkley Publishing Group for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 27, 2018
The ingredients of this book are my ultimate kryptonite: long, windy, delicate but exacting sentence structure and accoutrement; emotional turmoil in a health care setting; biology based literary devices. I so sure this would be 5 stars but sadly the sum of the parts did not make a coherent whole. One of the female protagonists had an arc that flatlined and was super inconsistent after 40% and the other was just wild and inconsistent in a totally opposite way, where the author tried to do too much. The male main character was one note. There were also a couple major plot points that could have really hit home, especially with the caliber of the writing itself but it all fell apart. I’m giving it 3 stars because there were some passages I highlighted and am for sure going to write down but it could have been a masterpiece and needed a major overhaul. All the details were there but with no backbone.
December 18, 2017
Release date: February 13, 2018
4.5 stars!
I LOVED this book!
The Queen of Hearts is a book about doctors, written by a doctor. It was so good! The two main characters, Emma and Zadie, have been best friends since medical school. But something happens in their third year of school that gets buried and then resurfaces years later when one of the doctors they trained with all those years ago joins the medical staff at the hospital they both work at now.
I highly recommend this book if you like shows like ER and Grey's Anatomy. There is a lot of medical terminology in this book to go along with a lot of medical "action". I thought it was very well done and explained, but I might not be the best source since I work in healthcare.
What I loved: I loved how the author incorporated the past and the present for both characters without it getting confusing or difficult. I loved the glimpse this book gave into the life of a physician, including medical school. I loved how human these characters were. And I loved being in their heads through everything that happens.
I wound up reading this book over the course of a week because this is a hectic time of year, but I could have easily read this in one or two sittings if life didn't get in the way. It was that good. I also wonder if there are plans for an audio book, since an audio re-read would be great!
Lastly, I just want to say that this is a debut novel by Kimmery Martin. I know this book isn't even out yet, but I am hungry for her next one already!
I won a copy of this book from goodreads giveaways! Yes, people actually win those things and no, winning did not influence my review.
4.5 stars!
I LOVED this book!
The Queen of Hearts is a book about doctors, written by a doctor. It was so good! The two main characters, Emma and Zadie, have been best friends since medical school. But something happens in their third year of school that gets buried and then resurfaces years later when one of the doctors they trained with all those years ago joins the medical staff at the hospital they both work at now.
I highly recommend this book if you like shows like ER and Grey's Anatomy. There is a lot of medical terminology in this book to go along with a lot of medical "action". I thought it was very well done and explained, but I might not be the best source since I work in healthcare.
What I loved: I loved how the author incorporated the past and the present for both characters without it getting confusing or difficult. I loved the glimpse this book gave into the life of a physician, including medical school. I loved how human these characters were. And I loved being in their heads through everything that happens.
I wound up reading this book over the course of a week because this is a hectic time of year, but I could have easily read this in one or two sittings if life didn't get in the way. It was that good. I also wonder if there are plans for an audio book, since an audio re-read would be great!
Lastly, I just want to say that this is a debut novel by Kimmery Martin. I know this book isn't even out yet, but I am hungry for her next one already!
I won a copy of this book from goodreads giveaways! Yes, people actually win those things and no, winning did not influence my review.
February 20, 2018
Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing for providing my free copy of THE QUEEN OF HEARTS by Kimmery Martin - all opinions are my own.
This is one addictive read! The Queen of Hearts is a brilliant story about two best friends, Zadie and Emma, and a moving tale of friendship, love, loss, and heartbreak. Zadie is married with children. Emma has a family of her own and is very serious surgeon with a past she’d rather not acknowledge. The story alternates between Zadie and Emma’s perspectives in the present day as well as in 1999, when they were in medical school and completing their residency. There is an element of mystery in this friendship, so you need to buy this book STAT to find out why.
The level of detail in medical jargon, practicing medicine, and what it takes to get through medical school is masterfully done. The dialogue is clever, witty, realistic, and empathetic. It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel!
Martin does a tremendous job expressing the depth of each character and I loved reading about every single one of them despite their flaws and mistakes. One of Zadie’s children is a four year old named Delaney who stole my heart. She is the absolute cutest!! I’m not kidding - everything she said was adorable. From beginning to end I was completely immersed in this story and could not put it down!
Oh and I could go on for days about how STUNNING the cover is! It really is a gorgeous piece of art! If you love contemporary fiction with a hospital setting and elements of suspense then this is for you! Sounds like a must read to me!!
This is one addictive read! The Queen of Hearts is a brilliant story about two best friends, Zadie and Emma, and a moving tale of friendship, love, loss, and heartbreak. Zadie is married with children. Emma has a family of her own and is very serious surgeon with a past she’d rather not acknowledge. The story alternates between Zadie and Emma’s perspectives in the present day as well as in 1999, when they were in medical school and completing their residency. There is an element of mystery in this friendship, so you need to buy this book STAT to find out why.
The level of detail in medical jargon, practicing medicine, and what it takes to get through medical school is masterfully done. The dialogue is clever, witty, realistic, and empathetic. It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel!
Martin does a tremendous job expressing the depth of each character and I loved reading about every single one of them despite their flaws and mistakes. One of Zadie’s children is a four year old named Delaney who stole my heart. She is the absolute cutest!! I’m not kidding - everything she said was adorable. From beginning to end I was completely immersed in this story and could not put it down!
Oh and I could go on for days about how STUNNING the cover is! It really is a gorgeous piece of art! If you love contemporary fiction with a hospital setting and elements of suspense then this is for you! Sounds like a must read to me!!
March 5, 2018
I loved this book!
Not often will I read a novel based or involved in the area of Medicine as I spend so much of my time living and working within that world in reality. Often novel portrayals can be on two opposite sides of the spectrum, either incredibly unrealistic or too realistic that it's less of an entertainment and more of a reminder of what is involved in choosing a career in the medical field.
This novel surpassed any expectations that I had and was an incredible debut for this author! Not only does the writing flow beautifully, but it is obvious that the author knows what she is talking about from the experience of being a physician herself. First, the lives of these characters were realistic and the emotions that they were experiencing were painfully relatable. Without the addition of "the secret", I could have read about their friendship and daily life as a novel on its own.
The story, the writing style, the characters and the exchange between the past and present day all combined beautifully into making this novel remarkable and unique. It's obvious that the writer took what she knew (being a physician and mother) and worked wonders with it. Although the novel is fictional and I'm sure some elements were made more dramatic than reality, everything about this novel and these characters felt real. This book will no doubt be one of my favourites of 2018 and I'm so excited to read more from this author in the future!
***Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review***
Not often will I read a novel based or involved in the area of Medicine as I spend so much of my time living and working within that world in reality. Often novel portrayals can be on two opposite sides of the spectrum, either incredibly unrealistic or too realistic that it's less of an entertainment and more of a reminder of what is involved in choosing a career in the medical field.
This novel surpassed any expectations that I had and was an incredible debut for this author! Not only does the writing flow beautifully, but it is obvious that the author knows what she is talking about from the experience of being a physician herself. First, the lives of these characters were realistic and the emotions that they were experiencing were painfully relatable. Without the addition of "the secret", I could have read about their friendship and daily life as a novel on its own.
The story, the writing style, the characters and the exchange between the past and present day all combined beautifully into making this novel remarkable and unique. It's obvious that the writer took what she knew (being a physician and mother) and worked wonders with it. Although the novel is fictional and I'm sure some elements were made more dramatic than reality, everything about this novel and these characters felt real. This book will no doubt be one of my favourites of 2018 and I'm so excited to read more from this author in the future!
***Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review***
March 13, 2018
Combine late hours working at the hospital with an irresistible, handsome, charming and persistent doctor…friendships and disasters go hand in hand in Kimmery Martin’s debut, The Queen of Hearts. Zadie and Emma are best friends, from medical school to the present, currently living in North Carolina and both practicing doctors. But as close as they were and are, there are still deep secrets they haven’t shared with each other, and when an old colleague moves to town, it conjures up the past memories, and they are forced to reveal some painful truths from their youth.
Kimmery Martin shows us how relationships evolve and grow overtime, so much so that when lives become intertwined, lifelong friendship can prevail and even the worst betrayal can be forgiven.
I do love a love triangle in a medical setting, and for those who enjoy tv shows like ER, Grey’s Anatomy and Chicago Med, this wonderful tale of the heart is for you!
See all reviews at https://booknationbyjen.wordpress.com
Kimmery Martin shows us how relationships evolve and grow overtime, so much so that when lives become intertwined, lifelong friendship can prevail and even the worst betrayal can be forgiven.
I do love a love triangle in a medical setting, and for those who enjoy tv shows like ER, Grey’s Anatomy and Chicago Med, this wonderful tale of the heart is for you!
See all reviews at https://booknationbyjen.wordpress.com
Read
February 15, 2018Dnf at 50%, leaving unrated.
dnf
February 15, 2018DNF @ 23%
February 13, 2018
Oh sooo good!! 4.5 Stars...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sometimes a book just hits you right. Touches all of your senses and emotions and maybe even shocks you a bit.
When I started reading The Queen of Hearts, I was expecting just a women’s fiction. But this book is so much more.
The Queen of Hearts is written by a brand new author with a medical background. She tells a story set in and around the emergency room and medical environment. It’s the story of two best friends and their career through the ups and downs of medical school and through their adult career.
This book is very well written and so good! The flow and the story was unique and so all encompassing that I just got caught up in it. The author managed to throw me for a loop several times and I just couldn't stop reading even though I was angry at times.
The plot mainly revolves around two best friends that support each other and are there for each other, through thick and thin.
And then there was Dr. X.... A yummy, delicious, hunk of a man who finds himself involved with one of the girls. Super sexy and a risk taker, he has Zadie falling for him fast and honestly, who can resist?
I absolutely loved the story. The author offered a fabulous plot with several of twists in the story and some unbelievable revelations that broadsided me. I was still really angry at the end of the story and still think about it today. But then that is the mark of an excellent writer.
If you enjoy medical stories, with the gritty, gruesome details, along with a doctors life, love, and everything that comes with it, you have to read this book. A wonderful first from a new author. I hope we will be seeing more of Kimmery Martin in the future.
* copy received for review consideration
Full Review - http://amidlifewife.com/the-queen-of-...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sometimes a book just hits you right. Touches all of your senses and emotions and maybe even shocks you a bit.
When I started reading The Queen of Hearts, I was expecting just a women’s fiction. But this book is so much more.
The Queen of Hearts is written by a brand new author with a medical background. She tells a story set in and around the emergency room and medical environment. It’s the story of two best friends and their career through the ups and downs of medical school and through their adult career.
This book is very well written and so good! The flow and the story was unique and so all encompassing that I just got caught up in it. The author managed to throw me for a loop several times and I just couldn't stop reading even though I was angry at times.
The plot mainly revolves around two best friends that support each other and are there for each other, through thick and thin.
And then there was Dr. X.... A yummy, delicious, hunk of a man who finds himself involved with one of the girls. Super sexy and a risk taker, he has Zadie falling for him fast and honestly, who can resist?
I absolutely loved the story. The author offered a fabulous plot with several of twists in the story and some unbelievable revelations that broadsided me. I was still really angry at the end of the story and still think about it today. But then that is the mark of an excellent writer.
If you enjoy medical stories, with the gritty, gruesome details, along with a doctors life, love, and everything that comes with it, you have to read this book. A wonderful first from a new author. I hope we will be seeing more of Kimmery Martin in the future.
* copy received for review consideration
Full Review - http://amidlifewife.com/the-queen-of-...
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