Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby

Title: Things We Know by Heart
Author: Jessi Kirby
Pages: 304
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: April 21, 2015
Buy: Amazon| Chapters Indigo| Kobo| B&N
*Received from publisher for honest review*

Summary (Goodreads)

When Quinn Sullivan meets the recipient of her boyfriend’s donated heart, the two form an unexpected connection.

After Quinn loses her boyfriend, Trent, in an accident their junior year, she reaches out to the recipients of his donated organs in hopes of picking up the pieces of her now-unrecognizable life. She hears back from some of them, but the person who received Trent’s heart has remained silent. The essence of a person, she has always believed, is in the heart. If she finds Trent’s, then maybe she can have peace once and for all.

Risking everything in order to finally lay her memories to rest, Quinn goes outside the system to track down nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas—a guy whose life has been forever changed by this priceless gift. But what starts as an accidental run-in quickly develops into more, sparking an undeniable attraction. She doesn't want to give in to it—especially since he has no idea how they're connected—but their time together has made Quinn feel alive again. No matter how hard she’s falling for Colton, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she’s lost…and all that remains at stake. 

Review:

I pretty much devoured this book in one sitting. Jessi Kirby is one of my favorite contemporary writers because she is great at connecting you to her characters and hooking you in with an incredible story about loss and love. Things We Know by Heart is a novel that can make you cry straight from the beginning, and eventually make you smile/grin by the end. My heart is bursting after reading it because it was beautiful, and then fills your heart with butterflies.

Quinn Sullivan has lost her long-time boyfriend Trent in an accident, so she reaches out to the people whose lives were saved by his organs. Everyone replied except the boy who received his heart. So she found him by herself and finds where he lives and it turns to be more than she thought it would be. From the very beginning I felt her pain that she was going through, and it was interesting that she found all the people who lives were saved by Trent. Jessi Kirby definitely knows how to connect you to the character because it made you feel everything. The pain of her loss, the frustration of not getting a response (Colton) and that she will not be able to move on. 

Colton has had a hard time since he received his new heart and move on from what happened, He has to be careful about what he does and take meds. When he meets Quinn it gives him the opportunity to be himself and be normal. Their friendship/relationship between them was very convincing in that both needed to overcome what they were going through. There was some swoony parts that make you love Colton and what he does on their date! 

The secondary characters were very supportive to Quinn. I loved her grandmother who was funny and Ryan her sister who knows her sister and calls her out when she is not okay. As Quinn is starting to move on the reality of what she did comes to the surface and Ryan helps her work through them. Quinn's family is very important to the story because they were also concerned with her behavior and also give advice for her.  

If you are need of a great story with well developed characters read this book! Jessi Kirby will grab you from the first page of any of her beautifully written books!Things We Know by Heart will speak to you and bring you to tears that you will want to reread it again! I am looking forward to her next book since they are fun and romantic reads! 

5/5