My grateful thanks to Charlotte Ledger at Harper Impulse for a copy of The Legacy of Lucy Harte by Emma Heatherington in return for an honest review. The Legacy of Lucy Harte is published by Harper Impulse in e-book today 6th January and paperback on 12th January 2017 and is available for purchase here or through the publisher links here.

The Legacy of Lucy Harte

‘Sometimes time is all we have with the people we love. I ask you to slow down in life. To take your time, but don’t waste it….’

Maggie O’Hara knows better than most that life can change in a heartbeat. Eighteen years ago she was given the most precious gift- a second-hand heart, and a second chance at life.

Always thankful, Maggie has never forgotten Lucy Harte – the little girl who saved her life. But as Maggie’s own life begins to fall apart, and her heart is broken in love, she loses sight of everything she has to live for…

Until an unexpected letter changes Maggie’s life.

It seems Lucy’s final gift to Maggie is much more than the heart that beats inside her. It’s a legacy that Maggie must learn to live by, a promise to live, laugh, fall in love and heal her broken heart for good.

Because as the keeper of a borrowed heart, Maggie’s time is more precious than most. She must make every cherished second count…

My Review of The Legacy of Lucy Harte

Maggie O’Hara lives thanks to a heart donated by Lucy Harte. But Maggie isn’t living life to the full.

The Legacy of Lucy Harte is a lovely book. Well written and with naturalistic dialogue I found it sucked me in to Maggie’s life. I didn’t much like Maggie to begin with and I think this is a strength of the book. Emma Heatherington creates a character in free fall following the break up of Maggie’s marriage.  Maggie is drowning in self-pity metaphorically and in alcohol literally and she’s not a pleasant individual to begin with. However, as the story progressed I grew to like Maggie more and more so that it was as if I was on the journey with her as she realises she needs to make the most of her life.

I thought the storyline might be too sentimental for some readers, myself included, but the author skilfully ensnared me so that I believed completely in the events and the emotions portrayed such that I read the final section in tears. The Legacy of Lucy Harte certainly pulls at the heart strings and I was very moved by it.

I thought The Legacy of Lucy Harte would be a simple chick-lit read and it does have those elements of thwarted love, romance and attraction, but it has so much more besides. There’s a thought provoking consideration of how our actions and misconceptions can impact on so many other lives. For those wondering whether registering as a potential organ donor is a good idea, I think The Legacy of Lucy Harte would definitely persuade them.

I sometimes feel the publicity straplines on books are overblown, but that on The Legacy of Lucy Harte  – ‘A poignant, life affirming novel that will make you laugh and make you cry’ is a perfect definition. The book made me reassess what I have to be grateful for in life and to redouble my efforts to make the most of every moment in life.

About Emma Heatherington

Emma Heatherington is from Donaghmore, Co Tyrone. She has penned more than fifty short educational films, plays and musicals as well as seven novels for Poolbeg Press, two of which were written under the pseudonym Emma Louise Jordan.

She loves spending time with her partner (the talented artist and singer/songwriter Jim McKee) all things Nashville, romantic comedy movies, singalong nights with friends and family, red wine, musical theatre, new pyjamas, fresh clean bedclothes, long bubble baths and cosy nights in by the fire.

You can follow Emma on Twitter and find her on Facebook.