I've been sitting here, staring at this book for quite a while now.

I really can't recall what Christmas it was that I received this book as a gift. It remained hidden in the recesses of my life until I moved out of my dad's house.

And now, here I am, just looking at it, because I do have the desire to read it, but I simply don't know when that urge will strike. You know how it is... it's that super difficult question that I constantly struggle with, especially when there are so many other books that I also want to read! It truly is a hard life, guys.

Now, Jodi and I definitely have a rather complex love/hate relationship. It's not just a simple like/dislike. With her books, it's either all or nothing. I either fall completely and madly in love with them, or I hate them to such an extent that I don't even know what to drink or snack on while reading these books in anger.

Sometimes, I end up liking the entire book, probably because I've had so much wine and I'm hungover, or I feel like I need to go to the gym because I've had so much food while reading. Trust me, it's not a pretty sight.

Let me just make it clear, I did not like this book at all. I'm glad that I didn't spend my own money on it, but I do kind of feel bad for whatever relative was kind enough to buy it for me.

I guess it will just be one of those books that I read once, put it back on my non-existent bookshelf (because seriously, I don't have a bookshelf yet, guys!), and then walk away, forgetting about it forever and ever.

Oh, maybe one day I'll come across this book again and completely forget that I ever read "Harvesting the Heart" and sit down and read it all over again. Who knows what I'll end up doing with this book, but right now, I'm just so relieved that I didn't waste any money on it. I'm just a bit sad that I wasted my time and energy reading it.

Now, I'm not going to go into great detail about all of the things that I disliked or hated about this book. Honestly, because I have way too many other things on my plate today. I have to write out so many other book reviews, bake cookies for a work event, and make dinner. Oh, and I can't forget about my laundry. In the end, I really hated this book. I have trust issues with Jodi Picoult once again. I need to think very carefully about the next book I pick up from her.

An okay light read after some heavier duty reading.

Even though I found little to like about Paige, nothing to like about her husband, and not much to believe about their relationship.

This is an early book of JP’s and it shows in the writing that misses its mark for trying too hard.

For example, at one point Paige knows which door in a hall is someone’s apartment by “the familiar smell of him—green spring leaves and honest sweat” that “seeped through the cracks of the old wooden door.”

Then inside it smells like popcorn and overripe strawberries even though someone has just made French toast, freshly squeezed orange juice, and corned beef hash.

I almost abandoned the book at that point.

But something in JP’s writing, even when it’s not her best, manages to make me keep reading.

Maybe it’s the potential that I sense, or perhaps it’s just my curiosity to see where the story will lead.

Despite the flaws in the characters and the somewhat forced writing, there is still a glimmer of something that keeps me engaged.

It’s like a puzzle that I can’t quite put together, but I’m determined to try.

So, I continue to turn the pages, hoping that the story will redeem itself and surprise me in the end.

Wondering why white people name girl babies things like Hope and Faith and Patience – names they could never live up to – and black mothers call their daughters Mercy, Deliverance, Salvation – crosses they’d always have to bear.

I wondered what the hell had convinced me to live at the end of someone else’s life rather than live my own.

SYNOPSIS:

Paige's mother left her and her father when Paige was only five years old. As a result, Paige has always felt that something was missing. At eighteen, Paige runs away from home and ends up working as a waitress. There, she meets Nicholas, a handsome and ambitious young doctor who quickly sweeps her off her feet. However, they soon realize that they may have rushed into marriage without truly getting to know each other. When Paige finds out she is pregnant, she begins to question whether she can be a mother, having not had one herself. Paige loves her baby and her husband, but she just can't cope with being a mother.

REVIEW:

On #bookstagram, myself and @lookingforchels had been talking about doing a UK Book Travel for a while. We finally put that idea into action and set up a lovely group chat to get things started. Since it's March and Mother's Day is coming up, we decided to choose two books that focused on mothers. Chels went for JoJo Moyes' One Plus One, and I opted for Jodi Picoult's Harvesting the Heart.

Writing this review is really hard because I absolutely love Jodi Picoult as an author and have previously enjoyed every book of hers that I've read. I thought for sure I had already read this book, but upon reading it, I couldn't remember any of the plot and really didn't enjoy it. That's so hard to say, and I almost considered not writing this review because I didn't want to admit that I didn't like it.

This book really didn't feel like a Picoult book to me. With all her other books, the characters were relatable and there were numerous surprising plot twists. This book definitely didn't have that. In all honesty, I couldn't wait for this book to end, and it pains me to admit that.

I really struggled with the character of Nicholas and found nothing likeable about him. I was actually quite disturbed by him, especially his relationship with Paige. When he first meets her, he doesn't believe she's 18 and actually thinks she's 15, but still willingly starts a relationship with her? The point where I completely lost interest in this character was when he described her as 'perfect' because he thought she was 'intact'. I personally didn't feel that he showed any growth throughout the book. He presents as an entitled male who wants Paige to fit into his lifestyle, and that's pretty much his character throughout the book.

Paige herself wasn't much better. She seems very one-dimensional, with her entire life story revolving around the fact that her mum left her as a child. I can definitely relate to being abandoned by a parent, but the way she uses this as an excuse for every aspect of her life going wrong just started to annoy me. I also didn't understand her relationship with Nicholas. They get engaged after three dates and don't know anything about each other. One of the main tropes of this book is characters not communicating. At no point do these characters really have a conversation about their lives or what they want in the future. This becomes even more frustrating when they have a child together and still fail to communicate at all. Paige is stuck at home feeling miserable, and Nicholas is working all hours to avoid being at home. Unsurprisingly, Paige finally cracks and leaves, leading to some horrible insights into Nicholas's character as he smirks all over the place. Honestly, it drove me nuts that after about 24 hours of having sole care of his son, Nicholas was exhausted and driven crazy, but still couldn't understand how Paige felt.

Don't get me wrong, I definitely don't agree with Paige just up and abandoning her child, and then turning back up and expecting Nicholas to just fall into her arms seems completely crazy. But I was just so frustrated with both characters and couldn't understand either of their motives. I also thought it was ridiculous that Paige couldn't understand why Nicholas would be slightly angry at her for leaving on a 'vacation'.

I didn't really find that there were any 'plot twists' in this story. Nothing shocked or surprised me. I felt that Paige's reunion with her mother was really strange. For someone who has marked this as such a significant event in their life, she didn't really have much to say to her mother. I also found myself getting quite confused as the book jumps perspectives and time zones, and I found it quite hard to follow when was when. This book also ends on an open-ended note, and I'm not a fan of that in books. I like my stories to be summed up, whether good or bad. I feel like we were supposed to sympathize with these characters, but I really didn't at all.

I absolutely adored this book, with the exception of the sex scenes and the instances of taking God's name in vain. Ugh! It's such a pity that those elements were included. I truly wish they hadn't been. I'm certain that Jodi simply isn't aware of the gospel standards that could bring an abundance of joy to her life.

Anyway, the book is indeed well-written. I found myself completely engrossed in the lives of the characters and the journey they are undertaking. I have this overwhelming desire to finish reading it. However, I know that I'm better off avoiding the smut that she has also intertwined within the story.

And so, after putting it down the first time, I made the decision that I wouldn't pick it up again, even though I was only around page 90. I don't want to have to repent for this one as well. The feeling of God's spirit teaching me, protecting me, comforting me, and giving me strength is far more powerful than even the most captivating read in the world.

I've now learned my lesson about being more cautious when choosing books. I guess I can't just randomly pick up whatever catches my eye at the thrift store anymore. :( I suppose I could just purchase from Deseret Book, which has only the highest standards of books. Otherwise, I can search out books that have been recommended to me. Now that I've just moved to a big city, I have a library where I can do that - so I guess I'm all set.

Audio. Karen’s TBR.

I had numerous issues with this particular book. I am well aware that Jodi Picoult's books are crafted to spark conversations, offer food for thought, and sometimes play the role of the devil's advocate.

This book centered around a woman who was grappling with religious guilt, mommy guilt, abandonment issues, and was in desperate search of a Savior to rectify her life. However, I found her to be extremely weak. Throughout the entire narrative, she never seemed to gain any real strength, despite being persistent on occasion.

I also had a great deal of dislike for her so-called “savior” husband.

Moreover, the audio version of the book was a real let-down. It mispronounced Lancaster, PA several times, which was not only distracting but also quite annoying.

Overall, this book did not meet my expectations, and I was left feeling rather disappointed.

I truly enjoyed the read, even though the premise might have seemed improbable at first.

A wealthy and strikingly handsome medical student named Nicholas crosses paths with a freshly graduated high school student, Paige, in a humble diner. Their encounter leads to a budding romance, and they soon fall deeply in love. However, Paige has a plethora of unresolved issues that are further complicated by the birth of her son.

Surprisingly, the author never fully painted a truly great love story between these two individuals. The reader witnesses their courtship and then jumps nearly ten years ahead to their marriage. But what happened in the intervening years? The failure to provide the reader with the state of their matrimony during the first eight years of marriage creates a rather shaky literary foundation.

Despite this flaw, the book was incredibly hard to put aside. Nicholas, who is a thoracic surgeon, has the ability to harvest and mend hearts literally, but it is Paige's heart that he must strive to mend outside the operating theater.

Thank you, Ms. Picoult, for providing such an engaging and thought-provoking read.

I have a great affection for her original story lines.

It truly frustrates me that Paige is depicted as such a doormat to Nicholas. She seems to allow him to walk all over her without much resistance.

However, at the same time, I find her actions completely incomprehensible. It's as if she is following a script that I can't quite decipher.

Despite this confusion, the story remains a good page turner. It has a certain allure that keeps pulling me in, making me eager to find out what will happen next.

Even with the aspects that I don't fully understand or appreciate, the overall narrative has a captivating quality that makes it difficult to put down.

I'm curious to see how the story will unfold and if Paige will eventually find the strength to stand up for herself against Nicholas.

Maybe there are hidden depths to her character that I haven't yet discovered, and as the story progresses, I hope to gain a better understanding of her actions and motives.

Overall, I'm enjoying the book, flaws and all, and look forward to seeing where the author takes the story.

Paige O'Toole's mother abandoned her when she was just five years old. Ever since that fateful day, it has been just Paige and her father. Overwhelmed with emotions, Paige departs from Chicago after graduating from high school and heads to the quiet town of Cambridge, Massachusetts. There, she crosses paths with Nicholas Prescott, a charming and intelligent medical student. After dating for three months, they hastily get married. It is only when Paige gives birth to her first child that the doubts start to creep in. Can she be a good mother when her own mother left her? Is Paige doomed to flee from her child just as her mother did to her? Torn and conflicted, Paige abandons her child and Nicholas and embarks on a journey to find her mother and seek answers.

Throughout Harvesting the Heart, Paige frequently had the feeling that God was working against her. She believed that whenever everything in the world was going swimmingly and life was treating her well, God would notice this and, in return, bestow some terrible tragedy upon her. Of course, this is not the case. God is a loving God who would never single out a particular person and subject them to tragedy. However, this was a significant theme in the book, and it left me feeling frustrated.

I wholeheartedly recommend this novel. Although it wasn't my absolute favorite Jodi Picoult book, I did find it enjoyable. Happy reading!

I really like this author, Jodi Picoult. In fact, I am one of those people who have probably read the majority of her works. So, I can say with confidence that this particular book is not what we typically love about Jodi Picoult.

This book seems to go in a completely opposite direction from what it was intended to be. It feels more like a love story rather than a story about motherhood.

Since this is one of her early works, it only shows that she is a good storyteller. However, if you have read some of her recent works like "Small Great Things", you can easily see how much our author has evolved over time.

I wouldn't recommend this book if it's your first time reading Jodi Picoult. It might not give you the full picture of her talent and the depth of her storytelling that she has achieved in her later works.

If only I could give this book half a star.

The storyline is extremely superficial and entirely predictable. It fails to engage the reader on a deeper level, lacking any real substance or complexity.

The characters, too, are not developed well. They seem one-dimensional and lack the necessary depth to make them truly interesting or relatable.

There is no real growth or evolution in the characters throughout the story, leaving the reader feeling unfulfilled.

In conclusion, this book is a disappointment. It does not offer anything new or exciting, and fails to meet the basic standards of good literature.

I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a thought-provoking or engaging read.

Generally speaking, I have a great love for the author. However, although this book was decent, it unfortunately didn't meet my extremely high expectations of her. The entire novel revolved around only two characters. I am a huge enthusiast of character development, but it seemed as if she was attempting to persuade both herself and the reader regarding the characters' motivations through repetition.

Spoiler alert - Basically, it can be boiled down to this: A rich boy meets an eccentric girl with a past. The boy, unknowingly, tries to change the very aspects that he fell in love with. The girl then becomes trapped and overwhelmed by the direction of her life and her responsibilities as a new mother. As a result, the girl flees the scene in search of her long-lost mother. Eventually, the girl realizes that she actually had what she wanted all along. Meanwhile, the boy is stubborn and refuses to take the girl back. Then, a life event brings the boy and girl back together. However, the ending remains vague as to whether they have decided to make their reunion a permanent one.

This story is truly easy to relate to.

It is a quick read that I firmly believe mothers would thoroughly enjoy.

The entire time I was engrossed in it, I found myself wholeheartedly rooting for the main character.

Even though her choices were at times less than commendable, there was something about her that made me want her to succeed.

I must admit that I am a huge Jodi Picoult fan, and perhaps this gives me a bit of a bias.

However, I can say with certainty that this is one of my absolute favorites from her extensive body of work.

Her ability to create complex and relatable characters, along with a captivating storyline, is truly remarkable.

This story has stayed with me long after I finished reading it, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and engaging read.