Title: Pure Hearts
Author: Jeannine Allison
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 22, 2017
Nicholas Blake learned a long time ago that nobody does anything for free. He’s felt the pain of lies and manipulations enough times to know that people only look out for themselves, and that all good deeds come with a price. So when he wakes up from a near deadly car accident and finds out a stranger is offering to donate her kidney, he’s immediately suspicious of her intentions.
What he doesn’t expect is Iris Chamberlain, a beautiful woman with a big smile and an even bigger heart, claiming she just wants to help. The more time Nick spends with Iris, the more he starts to believe in what he always thought was impossible: a pure heart.
But betrayal leaves a bitter mark. Will Nick be able to let go of his past and let Iris in? And will Iris be able to show him what it truly means to have a pure heart?
United Indie Book Blog - “This is a beautiful, raw and emotional story.” Bad and Dirty Books - “Pure Hearts has heart, intention but most of all a story to tell. A story I'm grateful I got to experience.” Becca (Goodreads Review) - “This book is perfection. I have nothing to say. Hurry up and read it as soon as it’s released! You don’t want to miss it out.”
5 Stars
Nicholas Blake is hardened and distrustful, he excepts only the worst, and knows everything comes with a price. After a nearly-fatal car accident, he finds himself in need of a kidney transplant and his spot on the list isn't very high. When a young woman offers her kidney, he knows she has to want something, he just isn't sure what. Iris Chamberlain is beautiful, smart, and kind, but even after spending all their time together he cannot find it in himself to trust her. He cannot see how anyone can be so happy, so good, so pure. When their relationship forms into a friendship and later a romance, their bond is tested by secrets that might break Nick for the last time.
"I choose to see the good in people because too many people see the bad."
Pure Hearts is a sweet read with a bit of an angsty-punch. Jeannine Allison built the story up in layers, introducing us to each character, each person's background, a little at a time. It's a relatable story with a profound, but simple message; see the good in all you can. Main characters Iris and Nick meet by chance, drawn together by Iris' goodwill and natural calling to help. Nick's skepticism would push anyone away, but not Iris, and not his mother that sees something more could be brewing. Their relationship is a slow build, it is anything but love at first sight, but it makes for engaging dialogue, natural progression, and encounters that would make anyone think they had found their soulmate. They fit together like pieces of a puzzle, Iris bringing out the once-buried happiness in Nick's life. Even the secondary characters carry the story forward, with Nick's mom encouraging his growth and Iris' family caring for her in ways she never even realized they did. I felt connected to the characters from the start and found myself cheering right alongside Nick's mom for the good to outweigh Nick's heavy heart.
"Because I was beginning to think that the thing I was going to live for, the thing my heart would beat for, and the thing worth finding...I'd already found. She was standing right in front of me."
I am a massive fan of Jeannine Allison, from her first release to this most recent novel, she writes characters that are honest and inspiring, story lines that are real, and books that break the mold. They're engaging, well-written, and inspiring in ways you wouldn't expect. Pure Hearts made me want to be an Iris, her personality is infection and her outlook on the world is refreshing. It's an emotional story with a sweet ending and a life lesson that we all should remember. It's about trust, love, and forgiveness and I think readers will find themselves in love with it just as I am.
"Anger was the easiest mask to slip on, the most readily available. It was bulletproof-nearly indestructible. Little could penetrate it. Not grief, reason, or love."
Jeannine Allison is an author of contemporary and New Adult romance. After waffling between many degrees in college, she finally graduated with a BA in English Literature from Arizona State University.
She loves writing and reading -- obviously :) -- but when she's not she enjoys playing with her two dogs, obsessing over new makeup, drinking coffee, googling new tattoos, and pretty much anything else that allows her to wear yoga pants and a sweatshirt ;)
She is a big fan of being exactly who you are. Her favorite stories to write are about characters finding and loving who they are.
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