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The Heart Is a Star
Absorbing, lyrical, vivid and compulsively readable - The Heart is a Star is beautiful storytelling from a talented new writer. A novel for fans of Holly Ringland, Jacqueline Maley, Hannah Richell.
Layla Byrnes is exhausted. She's juggling a demanding job as an anaesthetist, a disintegrating marriage, her young kids, and a needy lover. And most particularly she's managing her histrionically unstable mother, who repeatedly threatens to kill herself. But this year, it's different.
When her mother rings just before Christmas, she doesn't follow the usual script. Instead, she tells Layla that there's something she needs to tell her about her much-loved father. In response, Layla drops everything to rush to her childhood home on the wild west coast of Tasmania. She's determined to finally confront her mother - and find out what really happened to her father - and lay some demons to rest.
The Heart is a Star is an engrossing, lyrical and powerfully absorbing novel about the complicated and beautiful messiness of midlife; about the ways in which we navigate an intricate, complicated world; and about how we can uncover our true selves when we are forced to face the myths that make us.
Layla Byrnes is exhausted. She's juggling a demanding job as an anaesthetist, a disintegrating marriage, her young kids, and a needy lover. And most particularly she's managing her histrionically unstable mother, who repeatedly threatens to kill herself. But this year, it's different.
When her mother rings just before Christmas, she doesn't follow the usual script. Instead, she tells Layla that there's something she needs to tell her about her much-loved father. In response, Layla drops everything to rush to her childhood home on the wild west coast of Tasmania. She's determined to finally confront her mother - and find out what really happened to her father - and lay some demons to rest.
The Heart is a Star is an engrossing, lyrical and powerfully absorbing novel about the complicated and beautiful messiness of midlife; about the ways in which we navigate an intricate, complicated world; and about how we can uncover our true selves when we are forced to face the myths that make us.
304 pages, ebook
First published April 28, 2023
78 people are currently reading
1766 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 250 reviews
April 18, 2023
I really truly did not like this book. For so many reasons. I want to start by giving a trigger warning, as there are many reasons throughout the book for there to be one. The main premise of the book is the main character's, Layla, mother threatening suicide and Layla desperately trying to get across the country to her. It isn't the first time her mom threatens it, but it's the first time she isn't using it as a manipulation tactic. Not a single person in Layla's life is supportive or there for her through this. Many characters actually encourage her to just let her mother go through with it, telling her she doesn't understand her mother's pain. Nobody is willing to go help her mom. I myself am a victim of child sexual abuse and it is a big theme at the end of the book. The way it was written/handled was very triggering. I detested the way they claim one specific victim, and I quote, "isn't a victim." That the abusers actions explain and even almost excuse every other character being abusive or neglectful. How every character lied to and gaslit Layla her entire life and it is written as them doing what they needed to protect her. I also did not like how Layla repeatedly talks about the misogyny in the medical field and how they all expect women to fail because their primary focus is on being a mother and wife, but then have her fail for that very reason. For being distracted by wanting to be with her children, thus accidentally killing a patient, then she herself thinking she may have killed the patient intentionally because she was upset at them for keeping her from her kids. There are also two sexual scenes in this book, neither of which make any sense or are necessary. It is ok to write a book without sex. Forcing it in, especially in this kind of story, is ridicuous and makes the reader uncomfortable. I know what the author was trying to accomplish with this book, but it was done very very poorly and, in my opinion, in a harmful way. This is not a book I would recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2023
It took me a little while to get into this book but once I did, I was unable to put it down.
Layla is an anaesthetist, she is a mother of two, having and affair and dealing with her mother who has mental health issues. It is coming up to Christmas, there are problems at work, in her marriage and her mother who lives in a remote part of Tasmania is threatening suicide. What should Layla do, flee to her lover, ignore her demanding mother or head 'home' to Tasmania and try to keep the peace?
The book unfolds many deep secrets, regrets and each packs a punch. Layla discovers truths about herself and her family that are very confronting but necessary for anyone to move forward.
A very sad, yet contemporary tale, told with threads of beauty and complete honesty, warts and all!
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins Australia for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.
Layla is an anaesthetist, she is a mother of two, having and affair and dealing with her mother who has mental health issues. It is coming up to Christmas, there are problems at work, in her marriage and her mother who lives in a remote part of Tasmania is threatening suicide. What should Layla do, flee to her lover, ignore her demanding mother or head 'home' to Tasmania and try to keep the peace?
The book unfolds many deep secrets, regrets and each packs a punch. Layla discovers truths about herself and her family that are very confronting but necessary for anyone to move forward.
A very sad, yet contemporary tale, told with threads of beauty and complete honesty, warts and all!
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins Australia for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.
June 20, 2023
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**3.5 stars**
The Heart Is A Star by Megan Rogers. (2023).
**Thank you to HarperCollins Australia for sending me a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review; published 28 April 2023**
Layla is exhausted. She's juggling a demanding job as an anaesthetist, a disintegrating marriage, her young kids, and a needy lover. She's also managing her unstable mother, who constantly threatening suicide. But this year it's different. When her mother rings before Christmas, she doesn't follow the usual script and tells Layla there's something she needs to know about her much-loved father. Layla drops everything to rush to her childhood home in Tasmania, determined to confront her mother and find out what really happened to her father.
I would just like to take a moment to acknowledge how gorgeous the cover of this book is - a work of art. This is the author's debut fiction novel and it is very well-written. I had mixed feelings about our lead character, Layla. At times her actions made me quite frustrated as I think she made poor choices, particularly in relation to her attitude towards her family members, and especially towards her mother. I did appreciate that the storyline explored how devastating it can be to a person finding out confronting news about someone they love, and the emotional fallout of trying to cope with that news.
Overall: a well-written novel that will be appreciated by those readers who enjoy family/domestic drama fiction.
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**3.5 stars**
The Heart Is A Star by Megan Rogers. (2023).
**Thank you to HarperCollins Australia for sending me a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review; published 28 April 2023**
Layla is exhausted. She's juggling a demanding job as an anaesthetist, a disintegrating marriage, her young kids, and a needy lover. She's also managing her unstable mother, who constantly threatening suicide. But this year it's different. When her mother rings before Christmas, she doesn't follow the usual script and tells Layla there's something she needs to know about her much-loved father. Layla drops everything to rush to her childhood home in Tasmania, determined to confront her mother and find out what really happened to her father.
I would just like to take a moment to acknowledge how gorgeous the cover of this book is - a work of art. This is the author's debut fiction novel and it is very well-written. I had mixed feelings about our lead character, Layla. At times her actions made me quite frustrated as I think she made poor choices, particularly in relation to her attitude towards her family members, and especially towards her mother. I did appreciate that the storyline explored how devastating it can be to a person finding out confronting news about someone they love, and the emotional fallout of trying to cope with that news.
Overall: a well-written novel that will be appreciated by those readers who enjoy family/domestic drama fiction.
November 27, 2024
3.5
The cover is what immediately attracted me to this book. It's certainly a stunning piece of artwork but, for me, the narrative didn't quite live up to my expectations. My problem, not the book's.
The story follows Layla, an anaesthetist who is currently suspended due to a death at the hospital. She is unhappily married to Gabe but is having an affair with artist, Lucas. Every year Layla returns home to see her mother, Nora, but this year she is more desperate than most because of her mother's odd telephone call. Layla leaves her husband and children and heads home with her aunt, Dawn, but even the journey itself is fraught with problems. She has no idea what she will find when she arrives but she's determined to find out the truth of what really happened to her beloved father who died at sea many years before. Layla thinks her mother has been lying to her and won't leave without finding out what really happened.
The story, in itself, is interesting as Layla confronts her past but I found the circuitous nature of the narrative quite tiring. It seemed to take forever for Layla to get home and then even longer for someone to tell her about her father's demise. I think I was so invested in finding out what the secrets were that I forgot to enjoy the telling. As I said- my fault, not the book's.
If I were to offer advice it would be to enjoy the ride as much as the outcome. I'd like to read this book again with that in mind. I'd recommend it with the proviso that it's read as a piece of literary fiction rather than a thriller (as I did).
Thanks to Netgalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the advance review copy.
The cover is what immediately attracted me to this book. It's certainly a stunning piece of artwork but, for me, the narrative didn't quite live up to my expectations. My problem, not the book's.
The story follows Layla, an anaesthetist who is currently suspended due to a death at the hospital. She is unhappily married to Gabe but is having an affair with artist, Lucas. Every year Layla returns home to see her mother, Nora, but this year she is more desperate than most because of her mother's odd telephone call. Layla leaves her husband and children and heads home with her aunt, Dawn, but even the journey itself is fraught with problems. She has no idea what she will find when she arrives but she's determined to find out the truth of what really happened to her beloved father who died at sea many years before. Layla thinks her mother has been lying to her and won't leave without finding out what really happened.
The story, in itself, is interesting as Layla confronts her past but I found the circuitous nature of the narrative quite tiring. It seemed to take forever for Layla to get home and then even longer for someone to tell her about her father's demise. I think I was so invested in finding out what the secrets were that I forgot to enjoy the telling. As I said- my fault, not the book's.
If I were to offer advice it would be to enjoy the ride as much as the outcome. I'd like to read this book again with that in mind. I'd recommend it with the proviso that it's read as a piece of literary fiction rather than a thriller (as I did).
Thanks to Netgalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the advance review copy.
December 17, 2023
The Heart Is A Star combines rich and evocative nature writing with a family drama about “the messiness of midlife”. Rogers examines the inter-generational impacts of inherited trauma, ultimately revealing that discovering the truth doesn’t necessarily mean a happy ending. You’ll likely find reading it, as I did, that The Heart Is A Star follows a familiar trajectory, the outcome feeling sadly inevitable, with themes and motifs that are recurrent throughout #MeToo literature.
My full review of The Heart Is A Star is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
My full review of The Heart Is A Star is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
August 29, 2023
This is a book about fractured family relationships and friendships. To be honest it is a slow burn until just over half way when secrets are revealed as to why this family and their friends relationships are so fractured. I really didnt see the reason coming at all. Let me tell you it makes you understand why. Terrific ending and its what made the book for me.
August 12, 2023
I enjoyed this novel so much. I had seen it floating around Instagram for some time before its release, the cover catching my eye initially – stunning, isn’t it? – and added it to my wish list long before it was out. It’s a really beautiful novel, a deep exploration of the way in which our memories can be both true and false – depending on upon the historical lens through which we gaze upon them.
‘The wife, the mother, and the daughter, the doctor, the lover, and the friend; the list goes on. We are tired. All those versions of me have been made to please others; have been constructed in response to the myths of dead men. My father, my grandfather, hundreds of years of powerful dead men. My decisions have come from deception. So many choices idolising lies.’
When Layla drops everything a few days before Christmas to travel from Queensland to Tasmania in response to a call from her mother indicating she plans to end her own life, Layla is existing within her own state of domestic disarray. Suspended from work, embroiled in a brief affair, her marriage in a toxic state – life couldn’t get much worse. But it does – a whole lot more. As she journeys south, amidst flight cancellations and rental car dramas, memories of her life unspool: childhood, teenage years, the early years of her marriage; all painting a picture for the reader of who Layla is within the present day. I actually really liked Layla; despite some dicey decisions she’d made. Her husband, Gabe, was the pits, and that’s putting it mildly. The type of man to demand his wife go back to work full-time after having children yet complain non-stop that said wife was never home to take care of the household, children, and his pathetic ego. I actually hated him, and I never feel that strongly about characters, usually. He didn’t improve as the novel progressed.
A toxic marriage is not the only toxic relationship within Layla’s life. There’s toxic mothering as well, and her relationship with her own sister is on shaky ground. She feels enormous guilt at abandoning her aunt to a nursing home, and once the details of this are revealed, I have to say, she deserved to feel guilt over that move. Her aunt and her mother have their own toxic sibling relationship, and then there is her parents, or at least, her memories of their marriage, which are wholly slanted in her father’s favour. When the ground shifts beneath Layla’s feet, regarding her memories of the type of man her father was, Layla finds herself re-evaluating everything about her life, her decisions, her relationships, her own sense of identity.
‘That’s what happens when your reality gets questioned. You take apart everything you thought you knew and look at it again, like peeling a mandarin, holding the pieces up to the light, looking for pips before eating.’
There’s a lot of misery in this novel, in the sense that happiness is fleeting and the very worst of human behaviour at a domestic level is on full display. And yet, I never once felt the weight of that misery. Megan Rogers has a sort of magic about her writing that seemed to infuse even the worst moments with a degree of hope, even if it was just for recovery or resolution. What fascinated me the most out of this story, and this is a topic in general I have a high level of interest in, is memory, and how elastic it is. Two children from the same household having entirely different versions of the same memory. A couple participating in life together, yet each remembering things differently. The exploration of memory within this novel was done so well, so meticulously, and with a deft balance between science and raw emotion.
The Heart is a Star was a compulsively readable novel, memorable and deeply affecting. I highly recommend it to those who enjoy a more literary reading journey.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
‘The wife, the mother, and the daughter, the doctor, the lover, and the friend; the list goes on. We are tired. All those versions of me have been made to please others; have been constructed in response to the myths of dead men. My father, my grandfather, hundreds of years of powerful dead men. My decisions have come from deception. So many choices idolising lies.’
When Layla drops everything a few days before Christmas to travel from Queensland to Tasmania in response to a call from her mother indicating she plans to end her own life, Layla is existing within her own state of domestic disarray. Suspended from work, embroiled in a brief affair, her marriage in a toxic state – life couldn’t get much worse. But it does – a whole lot more. As she journeys south, amidst flight cancellations and rental car dramas, memories of her life unspool: childhood, teenage years, the early years of her marriage; all painting a picture for the reader of who Layla is within the present day. I actually really liked Layla; despite some dicey decisions she’d made. Her husband, Gabe, was the pits, and that’s putting it mildly. The type of man to demand his wife go back to work full-time after having children yet complain non-stop that said wife was never home to take care of the household, children, and his pathetic ego. I actually hated him, and I never feel that strongly about characters, usually. He didn’t improve as the novel progressed.
A toxic marriage is not the only toxic relationship within Layla’s life. There’s toxic mothering as well, and her relationship with her own sister is on shaky ground. She feels enormous guilt at abandoning her aunt to a nursing home, and once the details of this are revealed, I have to say, she deserved to feel guilt over that move. Her aunt and her mother have their own toxic sibling relationship, and then there is her parents, or at least, her memories of their marriage, which are wholly slanted in her father’s favour. When the ground shifts beneath Layla’s feet, regarding her memories of the type of man her father was, Layla finds herself re-evaluating everything about her life, her decisions, her relationships, her own sense of identity.
‘That’s what happens when your reality gets questioned. You take apart everything you thought you knew and look at it again, like peeling a mandarin, holding the pieces up to the light, looking for pips before eating.’
There’s a lot of misery in this novel, in the sense that happiness is fleeting and the very worst of human behaviour at a domestic level is on full display. And yet, I never once felt the weight of that misery. Megan Rogers has a sort of magic about her writing that seemed to infuse even the worst moments with a degree of hope, even if it was just for recovery or resolution. What fascinated me the most out of this story, and this is a topic in general I have a high level of interest in, is memory, and how elastic it is. Two children from the same household having entirely different versions of the same memory. A couple participating in life together, yet each remembering things differently. The exploration of memory within this novel was done so well, so meticulously, and with a deft balance between science and raw emotion.
The Heart is a Star was a compulsively readable novel, memorable and deeply affecting. I highly recommend it to those who enjoy a more literary reading journey.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
May 25, 2023
Thank you Harper Collins for sending us a copy to read and review.
The Heart Is A Star is raw, honest and a book that is deserving of the high praise the book world is showering upon it.
Megan has written from deep within and scattered the pages with words that are highly readable and topical.
Layla has so much going on, it’s become exhausting and now it’s time to take action.
Her mother tells her there’s something that needs to be said about her father.
So off to coastal Tasmania she goes.
But there’s more to the news and it’s also time to put confessions to rest.
A very good composition filled with life sentiments, tender emotions, refined feelings and touching moments.
Megan has the gift of wonderful prose, harmonious sentences and passionate dialogue.
With characters that will get under your skin, a plot that will mix the emotions and a premise that will draw you in, this novel will be one that will create conversation and discussion.
Intense, consuming, entertaining and gives you a positive reading encounter from a poignant story.
The overall experience is well worth it.
A gratifying narrative that will please contemporary fiction fans.
The Heart Is A Star is raw, honest and a book that is deserving of the high praise the book world is showering upon it.
Megan has written from deep within and scattered the pages with words that are highly readable and topical.
Layla has so much going on, it’s become exhausting and now it’s time to take action.
Her mother tells her there’s something that needs to be said about her father.
So off to coastal Tasmania she goes.
But there’s more to the news and it’s also time to put confessions to rest.
A very good composition filled with life sentiments, tender emotions, refined feelings and touching moments.
Megan has the gift of wonderful prose, harmonious sentences and passionate dialogue.
With characters that will get under your skin, a plot that will mix the emotions and a premise that will draw you in, this novel will be one that will create conversation and discussion.
Intense, consuming, entertaining and gives you a positive reading encounter from a poignant story.
The overall experience is well worth it.
A gratifying narrative that will please contemporary fiction fans.
May 1, 2023
One of my most anticipated reads of the year. The standout of The Heart is a Star is the beautiful, lyrical writing. So many passages that I highlighted and have gone back and re-read multiple times since I finished reading. A great debut from Megan Rogers.
4 stars.
4 stars.
January 11, 2025
Well this book was another just okay read for me. The characters are all together just unlikable. And I always struggle when I can’t find even one character to connect to.
Laylas life is falling apart……probably because she’s made some pretty awful decisions…….her mom is narcissistic…….and even after all is revealed I just couldn’t find a ton of compassion for the characters.
If you’re someone who doesn’t mind characters with little to no redeeming qualities and a story of family abuse in all its forms then you will like this book.
I received an ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.
Laylas life is falling apart……probably because she’s made some pretty awful decisions…….her mom is narcissistic…….and even after all is revealed I just couldn’t find a ton of compassion for the characters.
If you’re someone who doesn’t mind characters with little to no redeeming qualities and a story of family abuse in all its forms then you will like this book.
I received an ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.
April 23, 2023
This book follows the story of Layla Byrnes, an anaesthetist who is on forced leave for giving her patient the wrong medication. Her marriage is falling apart, her lover is too needy and she is missing her young kids growing up. But most importantly, she's trying to manage her mentally ill mother who threatens to kill herself almost every year, but this year it's different. There's none of her usual script and instead tells Layla things about her beloved father. So Layla drops everything to confront her mother and hopefully lay some demons to rest.
I'll start with what I did like, the fact it was well written and easy to read. And that's about it... I know others are singing their praises for this book and while I hear what they're saying, I'm not buying it. I wasn't gripped by any of these characters, nor feel like I could relate to any of them. I was pretty bored while reading this even though there was so much going on. There was so many big events that happened in this book but they were never expanded on, rather just thrown in there for dramatic effect. The relationship between Layla and Lucas was so pointless and didn't add any depth to Layla's story, I felt nothing between them. And as for the two sex scenes in the book, they were unnecessary, forced and also didn't add anything to the plot. The characters felt two-dimensional, and there were so many characters that I struggled to keep up with them all and felt as though many could have just as much significance not being in the book at all. The plot twist was kinda predictable too and I wasn't shocked at all. Maybe I've just been reading too many crime/mystery books lately, but I guessed what Layla's dad was up to about halfway through.
I also find it so hard to believe that no one took Nora, Layla's mum seriously. Especially in this day and age when this book is set where mental health is taken seriously. The same can be said for the "misogyny" in the medical field where I'd like to believe that this is also not really a thing anymore.
I'm really wanted to like this book but it felt like such a chore to finish it. I wasn't hooked and frankly was pretty bored. Thank you to Netgally and Harper Collins for sending me this one to review but unfortunately, me and this one didn't mix.
I'll start with what I did like, the fact it was well written and easy to read. And that's about it... I know others are singing their praises for this book and while I hear what they're saying, I'm not buying it. I wasn't gripped by any of these characters, nor feel like I could relate to any of them. I was pretty bored while reading this even though there was so much going on. There was so many big events that happened in this book but they were never expanded on, rather just thrown in there for dramatic effect. The relationship between Layla and Lucas was so pointless and didn't add any depth to Layla's story, I felt nothing between them. And as for the two sex scenes in the book, they were unnecessary, forced and also didn't add anything to the plot. The characters felt two-dimensional, and there were so many characters that I struggled to keep up with them all and felt as though many could have just as much significance not being in the book at all. The plot twist was kinda predictable too and I wasn't shocked at all. Maybe I've just been reading too many crime/mystery books lately, but I guessed what Layla's dad was up to about halfway through.
I also find it so hard to believe that no one took Nora, Layla's mum seriously. Especially in this day and age when this book is set where mental health is taken seriously. The same can be said for the "misogyny" in the medical field where I'd like to believe that this is also not really a thing anymore.
I'm really wanted to like this book but it felt like such a chore to finish it. I wasn't hooked and frankly was pretty bored. Thank you to Netgally and Harper Collins for sending me this one to review but unfortunately, me and this one didn't mix.
March 26, 2023
I am an avid reader but have never been active on Goodreads. Mainly just because of a lack of time (children, work, the usual). But after I read The Heart is a Star I was motivated to come on and join so that I could tell everyone about it. I loved this novel from the very beginning and could not put it down. I saw a few reviews on Instagram and was intrigued. The hype is very very real. What I loved about this book was that the poetic language was balanced by a page-turning plot. I'm not a big fan of long descriptions or paragraphs that seem to not add anything to the plot. No word was wasted in this book. Every word was carefully chosen.
I also loved following one woman's journey. There are so many books out with multiple characters spanning generations and to be honest I didn't realise just how much I was craving to follow one character until I read this book. Craving even more a plot based in the present day within which I could read myself and the other women in my life. I loved the fact that Megan didn't shy away from Layla being a messy woman with desires and the interwoven flashbacks gave me an incredible amount of empathy for her actions and story. There were multiple lines I wanted to mark (and did).
I loved the fact that the ending wasn't tied up in a neat little bow; was more realistic. Loved even more the fact that it was all about the fact that Layla had come to a point where she didn't need external things to happen for her to be ok. Which was mirrored in the plot. Highly recommend. If there were more stars here I would give them. This novel will stay with me for a long time. *****
I also loved following one woman's journey. There are so many books out with multiple characters spanning generations and to be honest I didn't realise just how much I was craving to follow one character until I read this book. Craving even more a plot based in the present day within which I could read myself and the other women in my life. I loved the fact that Megan didn't shy away from Layla being a messy woman with desires and the interwoven flashbacks gave me an incredible amount of empathy for her actions and story. There were multiple lines I wanted to mark (and did).
I loved the fact that the ending wasn't tied up in a neat little bow; was more realistic. Loved even more the fact that it was all about the fact that Layla had come to a point where she didn't need external things to happen for her to be ok. Which was mirrored in the plot. Highly recommend. If there were more stars here I would give them. This novel will stay with me for a long time. *****
July 9, 2023
Wow this book starts off with a punch, right off the bat the conversations and premise where evocative, following a woman as she is in the midst of a tumultuous marriage and having to handle her mothers suicidal threats, I was gripped for the first 60 pages, flying through them.
Around the 60-100 page mark I felt disconnected from the characters and story, it felt like the plot was just coasting in second gear and I lost significant interest as nothing was really happening.
Now that I have finished this novel and have experienced all the revelations and character progressions I have to rate this 3 stars, I think it’s a fantastic debut novel and it’s written well but the issue for me was it seemed like there where so many triggering and heavy topics brought up throughout this novel that it would of been near impossible to fit it all within 300 pages, I felt like this would have been a good character study really going more in depth to the root of the traumas and instead it just felt like we were scratching the surface.
I crave a lot of depth and character focused stories so this is definitely biased towards my own opinions but overall I do believe it’s a great debut novel and I commend the author for her writing!
Around the 60-100 page mark I felt disconnected from the characters and story, it felt like the plot was just coasting in second gear and I lost significant interest as nothing was really happening.
Now that I have finished this novel and have experienced all the revelations and character progressions I have to rate this 3 stars, I think it’s a fantastic debut novel and it’s written well but the issue for me was it seemed like there where so many triggering and heavy topics brought up throughout this novel that it would of been near impossible to fit it all within 300 pages, I felt like this would have been a good character study really going more in depth to the root of the traumas and instead it just felt like we were scratching the surface.
I crave a lot of depth and character focused stories so this is definitely biased towards my own opinions but overall I do believe it’s a great debut novel and I commend the author for her writing!
May 15, 2023
I am a little conflicted in my feelings about this book. I can appreciate what the author was trying to achieve and the beauty of the writing. The themes of family dis function, women’s roles and motherhood were all well handled. I just couldn’t relate to some of things Layla did, sure she has her flaws, but so many times I just wondered…like she is so busy, yet can manage an affair, she grabs Dawn and takes her south, yet leaves her alone at night to be with Jesse, and throwing so much stuff away like an adolescent….some of this grated on me. I can’t say that I enjoyed reading it and I was glad to finish.
May 2, 2023
DNF. I tried, I really did but it’s not my preferred type of book and deals with a few things that I find personally triggering. Story was easy enough to follow and read but yeah. Not my jam.
August 2, 2023
I wanted to like this more than I actually did. I felt lots of the book was simply trying too hard and I questioned some of the choices the author made plot wise. I think a better editor would have helped her strip out some of the noise and better focus on the central story. 2.5 stars
March 13, 2025
Dark literary women’s fiction. It’s beautifully written with a lot of dark themes at play. Please be advised of multiple triggers and don’t go in blind. This is a wonderful piece that I expect to see future generations study.
# The Heart Is a Star
# 2/28/2025 ~ 3/1/2025
# 4.0 / 5.0
# The Heart Is a Star
# 2/28/2025 ~ 3/1/2025
# 4.0 / 5.0
April 28, 2023
Before I write the review, I would just like to say that this is an amazing debut and the author should be very proud of herself.
This book was definitely a Slow burn, I think it was this way though as it wanted to share the story perfectly. It wasn’t a story that needed rushed, it was one that needed meaning and to share all of the feelings within the story.
Layla is a married mum of two, she is an anaesthetist that works crazy busy hours and that means that sometimes her family doesn’t come first. She is married to Gabe, a man her mother never approved of but unfortunately Layla just never understood the reasoning behind her mother’s opinion.
Laylas dad passed away years ago and she has never really gotten over his death, she has always blamed others and struggles to spend time with her family because of this. Her opinion on what happened there have definitely warped what she believes and what actually happened.
This book was so poignant, especially the further you got into it and learned what was going on with everyone and what had happened in the past.
This line in the book took my breath away as I’ve been there, sometimes the monster is not who you believe it to be.
'What's frightening about monsters is not their strangeness but their familiarity,’ (never a more honest sentence typed)
I’ve struggled with monsters my whole life but luckily at the age of 37 I broke free! This book resonates so hugely with me as I have no relationship with my mum and growing up it wasn’t good being around her.
This book touches some sore subjects, there is not a happy ever after but it is great, it’s real life and it’s thought provoking.
Thank you so much for the gifted copy HarperCollins NZ, I really enjoyed this read.
This book was definitely a Slow burn, I think it was this way though as it wanted to share the story perfectly. It wasn’t a story that needed rushed, it was one that needed meaning and to share all of the feelings within the story.
Layla is a married mum of two, she is an anaesthetist that works crazy busy hours and that means that sometimes her family doesn’t come first. She is married to Gabe, a man her mother never approved of but unfortunately Layla just never understood the reasoning behind her mother’s opinion.
Laylas dad passed away years ago and she has never really gotten over his death, she has always blamed others and struggles to spend time with her family because of this. Her opinion on what happened there have definitely warped what she believes and what actually happened.
This book was so poignant, especially the further you got into it and learned what was going on with everyone and what had happened in the past.
This line in the book took my breath away as I’ve been there, sometimes the monster is not who you believe it to be.
'What's frightening about monsters is not their strangeness but their familiarity,’ (never a more honest sentence typed)
I’ve struggled with monsters my whole life but luckily at the age of 37 I broke free! This book resonates so hugely with me as I have no relationship with my mum and growing up it wasn’t good being around her.
This book touches some sore subjects, there is not a happy ever after but it is great, it’s real life and it’s thought provoking.
Thank you so much for the gifted copy HarperCollins NZ, I really enjoyed this read.
August 10, 2023
“Maybe survival is sometimes forgetting.”
What a book!! I was completely mesmerised by Megan’s writing! It was pure magic. So vivid. So engrossing.
The love, feelings and guilt of motherhood were so perfectly captured and described. The pain and struggles of a marriage breakdown was also detailed very well. Both very relatable to me.
We learn a lot about Layla’s life throughout the book, her past and present life. This year when she heads home, she wants to find out what secrets her mother is keeping and more about her father.
I was incredibly curious and didn’t know what to expect. I definitely did not expect THAT!! My goodness! I could feel Layla’s pain and shock, I could feel the blow, the anger and the betrayal. That revelation was so intense. My heart. My heart hurts.
Thank you so much Megan for sharing your book with me, you have a remarkable talent ❤️ @harpercollinsaustralia
“My body, now, my compass. My heart, a star.”
What a book!! I was completely mesmerised by Megan’s writing! It was pure magic. So vivid. So engrossing.
The love, feelings and guilt of motherhood were so perfectly captured and described. The pain and struggles of a marriage breakdown was also detailed very well. Both very relatable to me.
We learn a lot about Layla’s life throughout the book, her past and present life. This year when she heads home, she wants to find out what secrets her mother is keeping and more about her father.
I was incredibly curious and didn’t know what to expect. I definitely did not expect THAT!! My goodness! I could feel Layla’s pain and shock, I could feel the blow, the anger and the betrayal. That revelation was so intense. My heart. My heart hurts.
Thank you so much Megan for sharing your book with me, you have a remarkable talent ❤️ @harpercollinsaustralia
“My body, now, my compass. My heart, a star.”
May 17, 2023
Props to the author for her debut novel, unfortunately I DNF. The writing was cringey and the author seems to drop random metaphors or similes into the sentences almost like they are a grade 7 student trying to reach a word limit.
Have to say it’s not usually the genre of book I typically read so others might like it.
Have to say it’s not usually the genre of book I typically read so others might like it.
December 27, 2024
DNF
I love the cover. This drawing is something I could have on my wall, and I could stare at it for an entire day. The title and the blurb are promising, and I really thought this would be one of those magical books that grabs readers' attention immediately, but no.
It's a slow burn and heavy at times. It covers important topics, such as a career as a mother, a failing marriage, and mental health issues, but it`s done in a way that doesn´t work for me. Layla, the main character, doesn't seem to care enough. She's a doctor, an anesthesiologist. When she kills her patient by making a mistake, her thought process is somewhat disturbing. Her marriage is failing, her affair bothers her only because he wants more than just casual sex, her kids desperately seek their mothers' attention, and yet Layla... she's passive. She notices but doesn't care. Layla's mother has some mental health issues, she threatens to commit suicide, but again, Layla doesn't care. She just wants to know the truth about her father. Her emotional detachment is probably explained later in the book (I read other reviews and yes, there`s a reason), and probably it all makes sense, but, just like Layla, I am too tired and emotionally detached.
I love the cover. This drawing is something I could have on my wall, and I could stare at it for an entire day. The title and the blurb are promising, and I really thought this would be one of those magical books that grabs readers' attention immediately, but no.
It's a slow burn and heavy at times. It covers important topics, such as a career as a mother, a failing marriage, and mental health issues, but it`s done in a way that doesn´t work for me. Layla, the main character, doesn't seem to care enough. She's a doctor, an anesthesiologist. When she kills her patient by making a mistake, her thought process is somewhat disturbing. Her marriage is failing, her affair bothers her only because he wants more than just casual sex, her kids desperately seek their mothers' attention, and yet Layla... she's passive. She notices but doesn't care. Layla's mother has some mental health issues, she threatens to commit suicide, but again, Layla doesn't care. She just wants to know the truth about her father. Her emotional detachment is probably explained later in the book (I read other reviews and yes, there`s a reason), and probably it all makes sense, but, just like Layla, I am too tired and emotionally detached.
December 30, 2023
4.5 stars
February 11, 2025
I wanted to both shake and hug Layla .. as a reader you get the hints and the insight that the characters do not have yet and it can be frustrating and then such a relief when they finally know.
April 11, 2025
This is a fascinating novel about middle age and all of its myths and the reality that you've lived half your life and can reflect and live the rest differently if you choose! Layla is an anesthesiologist whose mother calls one day with something she NEEDS to know. The book deals with relationships. self-denial, and the secrets we often tell ourselves when we are in denial. There are always choices to be made and the myths and reality often collide so it's important to constantly re-evaluate our decisions so we can live our best lives.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
December 28, 2022
This is a strong debut novel, which delves deep into the complexity of human emotions as one makes sense of a world which is completely flipped upside down.
Megan has successfully created a main character in whom you can feel her pain and anguish in mid life as she balances a failing marriage, raising two children, having a successful career, caring for ageing family members (one with mental health issues), and uncovering a huge family secret, whilst trying to find her authentic self and what brings her happiness.
Megan has successfully created a main character in whom you can feel her pain and anguish in mid life as she balances a failing marriage, raising two children, having a successful career, caring for ageing family members (one with mental health issues), and uncovering a huge family secret, whilst trying to find her authentic self and what brings her happiness.
June 8, 2023
I couldn’t warm to the main character at first, but she certainly gained my empathy as I continued to read.
July 16, 2023
The Heart is a Star appealed to me as it promised what many face in real life - daily struggles for a woman of a certain age. Layla is exhausted and is feeling the strain from work and family demands. She has a troubled mother and when she calls threatening to harm herself and claiming there are things she needs to tell her about her father, Layla jumps on a plane to go and see her.
‘… at night, when Dad held our hands and walked us the fifty paces to the cliff edge, he'd look up at the dome of constellations above us and say, 'I've never seen the stars so bright than they are here. There are two things in this world you can trust, girls: me and the constancy of those stars.’
Firstly, there is much going on in this book with a number of heavy topics, therefore, it was hard to devote the necessary time to do each of them justice. Layla has work troubles, her marriage is in crisis, her young children need her, she is having an affair, her family (mother and sister) are estranged with her mother threatening self harm; and finally, what is the mystery surrounding her father’s death? Can you see what I mean? There is a lot going on.
‘… as the children began to grow up and need me less, I remembered that I was a person, with desires and passions and interests and a career that I'd spent a lifetime building.’
This led me to be rather conflicted about this book. Whilst I appreciate what the author was trying to do, scaling it back somewhat might have allowed for further development of certain issues. Whether it had been family dysfunction or the role of women or personally my preferred theme, the long held family secret regarding her father and their initial move to Tasmania, time would have been better spent in my opinion developing a singular theme.
‘We live a double life. The outer life, which is the one we observe at airports and across dinner tables, at school pick-ups and basketball practice. And then, the one beneath. The secret, passionate, inside-our-skin lives; the intense life that no one else sees.’
The Heart is a Star is a slow burn tale that held potential. At its heart I felt it was about family and the fallout of family secrets being kept. Although others may feel they are protecting those they love and care for by hiding the truth, the damage can be unequivocal when finally they are revealed.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
‘… at night, when Dad held our hands and walked us the fifty paces to the cliff edge, he'd look up at the dome of constellations above us and say, 'I've never seen the stars so bright than they are here. There are two things in this world you can trust, girls: me and the constancy of those stars.’
Firstly, there is much going on in this book with a number of heavy topics, therefore, it was hard to devote the necessary time to do each of them justice. Layla has work troubles, her marriage is in crisis, her young children need her, she is having an affair, her family (mother and sister) are estranged with her mother threatening self harm; and finally, what is the mystery surrounding her father’s death? Can you see what I mean? There is a lot going on.
‘… as the children began to grow up and need me less, I remembered that I was a person, with desires and passions and interests and a career that I'd spent a lifetime building.’
This led me to be rather conflicted about this book. Whilst I appreciate what the author was trying to do, scaling it back somewhat might have allowed for further development of certain issues. Whether it had been family dysfunction or the role of women or personally my preferred theme, the long held family secret regarding her father and their initial move to Tasmania, time would have been better spent in my opinion developing a singular theme.
‘We live a double life. The outer life, which is the one we observe at airports and across dinner tables, at school pick-ups and basketball practice. And then, the one beneath. The secret, passionate, inside-our-skin lives; the intense life that no one else sees.’
The Heart is a Star is a slow burn tale that held potential. At its heart I felt it was about family and the fallout of family secrets being kept. Although others may feel they are protecting those they love and care for by hiding the truth, the damage can be unequivocal when finally they are revealed.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
December 17, 2023
I didn’t know if I was ready for something semi-heavy like this (as I’ve been in a bit of a rut) but alas, I picked it up and I really enjoyed it. Megan did warn that it’s not a happy story and you can gauge that pretty early on. We follow Layla as she navigates a rocky marriage, a mother going through depression/anxiety/trauma, a breakdown in work commitments - all of the things.
There is one part where Layla admits she is the mother, the wife, the worker, the friend, the lover - all the versions of a person that one is expected to be, to please others. Why do we put the pressure on ourselves? I know I have felt that a lot over the past 12 months, so that really resonated with me.
Sometimes when you pick up books like this, it’s a little bit daunting and I’m never sure how to react. Rogers’ writing is perfect for me. The dialogue is effective and the text consuming. She navigates difficult subjects with respect and I was able to feel a deep emotional connection with the characters as they developed throughout the story.
Thank you Megan Rogers for gifting this to me. I highly recommend adding this to your TBR pile.
There is one part where Layla admits she is the mother, the wife, the worker, the friend, the lover - all the versions of a person that one is expected to be, to please others. Why do we put the pressure on ourselves? I know I have felt that a lot over the past 12 months, so that really resonated with me.
Sometimes when you pick up books like this, it’s a little bit daunting and I’m never sure how to react. Rogers’ writing is perfect for me. The dialogue is effective and the text consuming. She navigates difficult subjects with respect and I was able to feel a deep emotional connection with the characters as they developed throughout the story.
Thank you Megan Rogers for gifting this to me. I highly recommend adding this to your TBR pile.
April 3, 2024
This was a far bleaker book than I expected. Described as an "engrossing, lyrical and powerfully absorbing novel about the complicated and beautiful messiness of midlife" I did not expect the book to deal with child sexual abuse, suicide and infidelity. And whilst it was definitely engrossing, it was also frustrating - as it kept you hanging on to find out what happened to the protagonist's Dad (who died when she was young) and also why no-one will talk to her about it. When she does find out the truth it makes you wonder why no one told her before (not her mother, her sister, her aunt, her best friend, her childhood boyfriend etc...) - her adoration of her father and her hatred of her mother has clearly shaped her life and also made it impossible for her to form close loving relationships. All in all a difficult and fairly depressing read.
August 24, 2023
I picked this book up as QBD’s Book of the Month and really enjoyed it. Layla Byrnes is a stressed, workaholic anaesthetist who is juggling the pressure and complexities of motherhood, career, a struggling marriage and a secret lover. In addition, she is managing a mentally unstable mother who calls religiously every year before Layla makes the trip back home to Tasmania for Christmas, to tell Layla she is going to take her own life. She tells Layla it’s time she knew the truth about her deceased father. There’s something different about Nora’s determination to take her own life and so Layla makes the trip back home unaware of what will greet her.
An easy read which also painted a vivid imagery of pain, grief and hope.
An easy read which also painted a vivid imagery of pain, grief and hope.
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