The Heart Remembers by Ally McGuire
Formats: E-Book, Audio, Paperback
Ages: 18+
One wedding. One ex. And one week of chaos that might just lead to forever.
Emma Smith closed the door on New Orleans and the painful memories it held long ago. But when her best friend’s wedding pulls her back to the vibrant city she swore she'd never revisit, a familiar voice on the plane sends a jolt through her. Suddenly, the memories of one unforgettable summer—and the woman who made it so special—flood back.
For Riley, life in New Orleans flows as smoothly as the Mississippi. The family business is her focus, and the dreams of her youth have settled into the past. Until Emma’s unexpected return.
Thrown together for a week of wedding celebrations, the spark between them reignites, unsettling Riley's carefully constructed contentment. But as laughter and old feelings resurface, so do the reasons Emma left. Can they seize their second chance at love, or are some wounds too deep to heal?
Reviews
5 out of 5 stars A great second chance romance! Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 July 2025 Format: Kindle Edition A great second chance romance! Emma is on her way back to New Orleans for her best friend’s wedding. Seeing Riley again brings back memories of an unforgettable summer and their connection is still there. It doesn’t stop Riley remembering how she felt when Emma left the first time though. Really enjoyed every moment of this. It was laced with a light tension as both Emma and Riley tried to protect themselves from heartache and pain but wanted desperately to reconnect and explore how they feel about each other. Being at all the events surrounding the wedding and the ceremony gave them great opportunities to reconnect and you could tell they shared something special from the way they interacted with one another after all this time. Emma and Riley were both terrible at communicating despite their efforts to reconnect. They were making assumptions and talking with friends, but as is typical of all great romances, not with each other. It had me chuckling and tearing my hair out screaming at the page to talk to one another properly, not just at surface level. I knew eventually they probably would address the issues because they were spending time together willingly and not purposely being awkward with one another, so just had to hold out hope. I loved them together though and was happy when things finally started falling into place for them to take a chance at happiness.
4 out of 5 stars Relatable, funny, and moving! Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 September 2025 Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase Ahhh, so many smiles after reading this. I got to know and love the characters. Emma, complex and layered. Riley, so steady and grounded. Together? Meant to be! It feels like Ally must have been a poet in the past, her words are just beautiful. She’s quickly becoming my new favourite author.
