Things We Know by Heart

Description

After Quinn's boyfriend, Trent, dies 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. Although she hears back from some of them, the person who received Trent's heart has remained silent. The essence of a person, Quinn believes, 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. Quinn doesn't want to give in to it-especially since Colton 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.

Jessi Kirby is a writer for young adults whose first book, Moonglass, was named an ABA New Voices Pick. She has also written two other novels-In Honor and Golden. Jessi works as a middle school librarian in Orange County, California, where she lives with her husband and two kids.

"Above all else, Things We Know By Heart explores the possibility of finding human connection through tragic loss. Couple that with Kirby's gift for detail and writing relatable characters and you get a not just a love story, but one with a ferocious pulse." -- John Corey Whaley, Printz Award-winning author of Where Things Come Back "This is hands down Jessi Kirby's best book to date. It's stunning and breathtaking, at turns heartbreaking and healing." -- Sarah Ockler, author of Twenty Boy Summer "The love story will hook readers-especially those who enjoyed John Green's The Fault in our Stars. This memorable romance will ring true with teens." -- School Library Journal "Well-rounded characters and the romantic tension of unrevealed secrets." -- Kirkus Reviews "Kirby's story is, at its core, a sweet, budding romance, set against the backdrop of family. [A] story of letting go and moving forward." -- Publishers Weekly "[A] sweet romance that grows organically." -- Unshelved.com "Kirby's writing is lush and emotional...[A] satisfying romance. Like Ockler's similarly themed and similarly enjoyable Twenty Boy Summer, this brings all the poignancy and sentiment that a genre fan could wish." -- BCCB "Kirby weaves a sweet romance in the same spirit as Susanne Colasanti and Lauren Barnholdt." -- Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)