Things We Know By Heart

In this unforgettable novel, Quinn Sullivan falls for the recipient of her boyfriend’s donated heart. Printz Award winner John Corey Whaley calls it “not just a love story, but one with a ferocious pulse.”

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 fragments of her now-unrecognizable life. But whoever received Trent’s heart has chosen to remain silent. The essence of a person, Quinn has always believed, is in the heart. If she finds Trent’s, then in a way, she will still have a piece of him.

Risking everything to get closure once and for all, Quinn goes outside the system to track down nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas, whose life has been forever changed by this priceless gift. But what starts as an accidental run-in quickly develops into something more, sparking an undeniable attraction. She doesn’t want to give in to it—especially since he has no idea how they’re connected—but the time Quinn spends with Colton makes her feel alive again. No matter how hard she’s falling for Colton, though, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she’s lost . . . and all that remains at stake.

Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, this unique and emotional story about an unexpected bond between two strangers will leave no heart untouched.

“"Well-rounded characters and the romantic tension of unrevealed secrets."”

"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

-- 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)

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.

Quinn Sullivan lost the love of her life when her boyfriend, Trent, died in an accident their junior year. In an attempt to get closure, she reached out to the recipients of his donated organs. Though some answered her letters, the one Quinn feels matters most--the person who received Trent's heart--has been silent. Nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas has spent the last several years in and out of hospitals waiting for a heart transplant. Now that he's fi nally received a new heart, Colton is regaining strength, and he's walking away from his bedridden past with no intention of looking back. He doesn't want to know about the person who had to die so that he could live. He only wants to move forward. But Quinn can't let it go. Venturing outside the system to fi nd Colton, Quinn takes a risk in hopes of fi nally laying her memories to rest. But what begins as an innocent conversation quickly becomes an attraction--and to make matters worse, Colton has no idea how they're connected. His zest for life pulls Quinn from her months of sorrow but leaves her torn between honesty and utter betrayal.Because no matter how hard she's falling for Colton, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she's lost.

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