The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin Book Review

The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin Book Review

The lowdown from Goodreads

Publication Date February 13, 2018

Zadie Anson and Emma Colley have been best friends since their early twenties, when they first began navigating serious romantic relationships amid the intensity of medical school. Now they’re happily married wives and mothers with successful careers–Zadie as a pediatric cardiologist and Emma as a trauma surgeon. Their lives in Charlotte, North Carolina are chaotic but fulfilling, until the return of a former colleague unearths a secret one of them has been harboring for years. 

As chief resident, Nick Xenokostas was the center of Zadie’s life–both professionally and personally–throughout a tragic chain of events in her third year of medical school that she has long since put behind her. Nick’s unexpected reappearance during a time of new professional crisis shocks both women into a deeper look at the difficult choices they made at the beginning of their careers. As it becomes evident that Emma must have known more than she revealed about circumstances that nearly derailed both their lives, Zadie starts to question everything she thought she knew about her closest friend.

The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin Book Review

In case you don’t know, my favorite author is Liane Moriarty. Yeah, she’s big news now after the massive success of Big Little Lies & for good reason! Liane is amazing & I am Really Into her style of writing.

From the very beginning, she hooks you in with her relatable & REAL female characters. Liane keeps the drama right below the surface & it floats along with the story. If I think about all of her books, I can picture most characters clearly, even years later. So when I say that Kimmery Martin’s writing style reminds me of Liane Moriarty, it is the BIGGEST compliment.

Zadie & Emma

I love Zadie & Emma’s friendship. Their friendship requires no explaining, no fluff & they are REAL friends- even more like sisters. They are both bad ass doctors & although their personalities are different, readers can see why they work so well together. Quickly, Kimmery introduces a taste of suspense that is carried throughout The Queen of Hearts. I’m living for it. This is seriously my favorite thing in a book. I want suspense right there under my nose, but the heart (no pun intended) of the story to be relationships.

Y’all, this ending had me with baited breath. We’ve all lost a friend due to secrets, a misunderstanding, hurt feelings, etc. Losing a friend that is like your family is so painful. Jessica & I had what we call a break-up & it was so heartwrenching, I can still barely talk about it. I won’t spoil the ending, but Zadie & Emma reach a point where their friendship is tested in a HUGE way. Cue the chest tightening.

THE VERDICT

I am Really Into The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin. You have got to read this book so we can talk about it. Secrets, women, friendships, lies & love- this is the stuff I live for & The Queen of Hearts has it all!

Special thanks to Kimmery Martin, Berkley & NetGalley for providing my copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: KIMMERY MARTIN

Kimmery Martin won her first short story contest in the first grade, and was awarded a red stuffed elephant and publication in the school newspaper.  Her writing career then suffered an unfortunate dry spell, finally broken with the publication of the enthralling journal article Lymphatic Mapping and Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in the Staging of Melanoma, followed by the equally riveting sequel Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Pelvic Malignancies, both during medical school.

Conscious readers remained elusive, however, prompting her to wait another decade or so before trying again.  This time, spurred on by a supportive husband and three constantly interfering children, she produced an entire novel.  The Queen of Hearts, exploring the startling secrets in a friendship between a cardiologist and a trauma surgeon, became an instantly beloved classic amongst three of her friends.  It will be published by Penguin Random House in 2018.

When not working on her next novel, Kimmery spends her time mothering her slew of perfect children.  She’s also occupied with poorly executed household chores, working as a physician, and serving on various non-profit boards in Charlotte, North Carolina.  She exercises grudgingly, cooks inventively, reads voraciously, offers helpful book recommendations, interviews authors, publishes travel articles, and edits her son’s middle grade book reviews. Finally, she is a world-class Boggle champion, which most people find to be sexy beyond all description.