The heart is exquisite.You’ll never hear anyone wax poetic over an organ quite like they do the heart.When you’re lost in the world? Follow your heart.When your love for someone is unwavering, unparalleled and unprecedented? You give them your heart.As a lead pediatric cardiac surgeon, I knew better than anyone that the heart is equally as powerful as it is delicate.The heart giveth just as … as it is delicate.
The heart giveth just as easily as it taketh away.
And until the day Kelly Potter darkened my doorway that was all just part of the job.
She rolled in like a slow evening storm, fierce and beautiful, fighting for the life of her unborn child.
It should have been business as usual.
I was a doctor.
Her child the patient.
But Kelly was more.
She was the one who got away.
I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
It didn’t matter what the rules were.
For once, I was listening to my heart.
more
How far would you go for love? What would you give up? How much could you beg? And if the life of your baby were in the hands of the only man you hate, the one who even after ten years you could not forget because he was the one? What would you do?
Kelly is on the road in pursuit of her dream. Music is her passion, and together with her band, year after year, she expects an opportunity to become famous. But that never happened. At thirty-three, she has no home, no money, no prospect. The dream of her life did not materialize. Until a doctor’s appointment changes the whole course of her life.
Anthony is successful. After so much hard work, he achieved his goals. He is a well-respected physician in his area, has a comfortable financial life and works in what he loves.
Two people with different lives. She, a free, dreamy spirit, who saw the world. He, the behaved guy, whose time was devoted to studies, lonely. But that one night ten years ago they met, connected and fell in love. Until morning came, and with it disagreements, an abrupt breakup and many heartaches. Two different people. With different lives. With different paths. Only one night together in the middle of the road. But they will meet again. A request for help. A competent doctor. And a mother who will do everything to save her daughter.
An Imperfect Heart addresses love. All forms of love, in the figure of couple, friends, brothers, mother. Being a novel, there is a couple, who will give the whole tone to the narrative. But love is the main character.
I liked Kelly and Anthony. Both are real, believable, well written. there is conflict between them, some funny scenes, the two are stubborn and do not want to admit that they love each other. Even after such a long time, Anthony does not hesitate to help Kelly. He is the prince on the white horse she so badly needs. Someone who takes care of her, who cares. And someone who slowly tries to repair the error of the past and get a new chance, not let this woman escape again, not let his new family go.
The love Kelly develops for her daughter is beautiful. Even though the pregnancy was unexpected, Kelly struggles with all her weapons to save Hope. The supporting characters are funny, I loved Anthony’s mother.
The delivery scene was hilarious, but at the same time the reader is apprehensive. Anthony freaking out in a key scene broke my heart. The doctor focused and in control gave way to a father who loves his daughter above all else. The whole motive of what happened in his pass that impacts such a fateful night in the past made a lot of sense.
This is a book that deals with a strong theme, but that was written brilliantly. There is a lightness, a certain grace, but above all much love. That was my impression when I finished reading, I came across a lot of love, in every way, types, but above all, love.
I don’t even know where to start! This book was absolutely perfect! Hooray for second chances in love, in life, in everything! Anthony “Doc” Jackson dedicates his life to saving children with heart defects/problems. 10 years ago he let the love of his life walk out the door. Now Kelly is back in his life and everything is almost perfect. Except for the reason she found him again after all this time.
I just adore all of the short girl nick names he calls Kelly almost as much as I love the way he describes himself swooning over her. I love their story of love, life and hope!!! It’s simply amazing! I laughed and cried and just felt like my heart was 100 percent full afterwards.
Oh the tears that I cried while reading this story
This was such a beautiful story!! It really tugged at my heartstrings. Once I starting reading it I found it very hard to put down. This may have been by first book by this author but it will not be the last.
Oh the raw emotions that are in this story. This is the first book of Amie Knight that I have read and I will very much be looking at the rest of her stories. This one really tugs on the heartstrings as you follow Kelly as she navigates the fact she is pregnant and now needing help from the one man she spent an amazing night with but ended roughly. As Kelly and Anthony go through the motions, I found it beautiful how much Anthony wanted to take care and protect Kelly, regardless of how much she fights him on it at times. While this is a quick romance in a timeline, the getting to the point of them admitting how they feel for each other is quite the slow burn. They both tiptoe that line but the fierceness these two have for each other is utterly beautiful.
Overall, this was an amazing and beautiful story of finding love when you least expect it and in the most unusual circumstance. The banter and the passion is amazing and keeps you on your toes as you watch these two deny then give in to their emotions and their chemistry. I would highly recommend this story if you want a touching and emotional ride!
Why didn’t I read An Imperfect Heart by Amie Knight sooner? It’s an outstanding and emotional story that reminded me of some of my own experiences. This book touches hard topics with a proper and fact-based approach, it also made me smile and laugh a lot. Kelly’s spunk and no filter are hilarious, and so are Anthony’s antics and the plethora of cute nicknames he has for Kelly.
Amie Knight perfectly interweaved the story between the present and the one night when Kelly and Jackson met ten years before. They were full of dreams back then: he was going to med school, she was about to tour with her band. Now, she is pregnant with a sick unborn child and he is THE pediatric heart doctor that can save her daughter. Kelly is a mother through and through, one who will stop at nothing to save her baby girl.
One of the aspects I loved the most about An Imperfect Heart was the natural progression of Kelly and Anthony’s relationship. The underlining issue of having a baby with a heart defect is there and yet it didn’t overtake the story. Amie Knight’s writing is exquisite, poetic, and funny.
Since I read the book but I also listened to the audio version, I think it’s only appropriate to applaud Noah Michael Levine and Erin deWard’s narration. Erin was the perfect Kelly.
It was emotional… heartbreaking.. A beautiful second-chance romance. Amie can wrapped your emotions so easily with a beautiful story. I adored the way the story being written. Every story had a good flow and I can just dive into it 🙂
Add Another 5 stars for this Author. This was the last book for me to read by this author, and I am seriously so freaking bummed out. Every single book is a so more than 5 stars worthy read. I get emotional invested and this one was a double whammy which was all about the heart. Kelly Potter is a gem this Woman is hit with an unexpected pregnancy, and just when she is getting okay with a baby on the way she gets hit with more devastating news. She pulls up her maternity pants and becomes a Momma she asks for help from the one person that she doesn’t want too see. She had the Momma thing down before she even knew it.
I did not want this book to end, I finished in one night, and had tears in my eyes multiply times it was so beautiful, and ugh I will always remember these characters. I am so Team Hope.
Oh my, this story was beautiful. And heart wrenching. And beautiful!!
*** That was us. Together we were unstoppable. Apart, we were hopeless.
Anthony and Kelly spend one night together years ago and he grows her out the next morning. She never knew why. She left and never went back. Although she thought about him over the years. And when she needed him, she swallowed her pride and went back to ask for his help. Seems he thought about her a lot too.
Two souls that were destined to be together. Brought back together by an imperfect heart. An imperfect heart that would heals theirs.
I fell in love with Anthony just as Kelly did. I mean, a hot Pediatric heart Doctor? Yes please! And a dirty talker too! Charming and sweet, we all need one of those!
****“Kiss me,” my lips whispered across her own, breathlessly, wantonly.
Sparkling aquamarine eyes stared up at me. “Where?” she whispered back.
“Everywhere.” And I didn’t mean the warm spot behind my ear that she’d already realized was my weakness. Not the dimples in my cheeks that she couldn’t help but to smack sweetly as we lay in bed and talked. No, I wanted this woman to ravish my spirit, my heart.
Kiss my soul, my eyes begged.
Y’all, seriously, I highlighted so much in this book! Lol. There were so many little things that just grabbed my ears and held it captive while reading this. Their story was truly a great love story, through pain and hardship, and fear and scary times, they leaned on each other and it was perfect.
***Things weren’t perfect by any means. We knew the greatest gifts life had to offer often weren’t the big and easy things. The amazing things were sometimes as hard as steel. But if you looked closely, you could see through all the bad straight to the good where imperfect things become impossibly perfect.
And Anthony’s mom, Lucy, I loved her just as much! Not often do I love a secondary character as much as the main characters but she was epically awesome and I loved her!
Y’all just need to read this book!
An Imperfect Heart by Amie Knight is the third book in a series but can definitely be read as a standalone. This is the first book I’ve read by the author and I didn’t feel like I was missing out on any backstory or inside jokes. The book truly stands on its own. This sweet, second-chance romance was told in a dual POV format with good pacing and an engaging plot.
Kelly, a 32-year-old drummer, has spent her life chasing big, elusive dreams of success and fame. Upon becoming pregnant and learning that her daughter will be born with a rare, critical heart defect, Kelly has a new dream. She will do everything within her power to save her unborn baby’s life – even if that means asking for help from the man who hurt and rejected her.
Anthony is the last person Kelly ever wanted to see again, but now she needs his help. Ten years ago, they had an incredible one night stand that ended abruptly in disaster and heartache. Now, Anthony is a gifted pediatric cardiac surgeon and despite the past, her daughter’s best chance at life. As much as Kelly tries to maintain a safe distance, neither can deny the chemistry and connection that still exists between them.
This was a beautifully written, heartfelt and emotional love story about hope, faith, and second chances.
* I voluntarily read an ARC and provided my honest review. *
God, Amie Knight certainly knows how to make a girl cry. An Imperfect Heart is a book overflowing with love, powerful emotion, and family making me cry tears of both heartbreak and joy. Amie writes so beautifully you can’t help but be pulled right into Kelly and Anthony’s story the second you start reading. These characters are so real you can feel it all. Every single thing they’re going through feels like you’re right there with them. I was so attached to Kelly and Anthony I never wanted this book to end!
Kelly is someone both completely relatable and real, yet totally unique. An amazingly strong woman with a huge heart I found myself quickly adoring everything about her. Fighting for the best for her daughter even before she’s born she was willing to sacrifice anything. How could I not love someone like her? Anthony was just as amazing as Kelly. A true gentle giant he never hesitates in doing everything he can for Kelly and her baby girl.
The chemistry between these two is incredible and the back and forth between them had sparks flying. One second I’d be cracking up at them and the next I’d be totally melted by how sweet they were. What seems like enemies rapidly turns into a beautiful romance that had me falling just as fast as these two did.
Final Score – 5 Imperfect Stars!
When we start the story, Kelly is just your average wanna be rock star, currently touring with her band. However her life is turned upside with news of her impending motherhood. Not really sure what she wants and yo-yo circumstances of life on the road do not make for a happy childhood. However, Kelly decides to embrace her new circumstance, not knowing another blow will rock the very foundation of her new maturity and her chance at being mom.
Anthony is a doctor. He’s a marvel in his field of study. But life as a top doctor doesn’t mean he has time for much else. There was a time when he was young, carefree and newly exploring a chance at a real relationship. But a cruel twist of fate robbed both him and his partner of exploring it further. And that partner was Kelly.
From the get go, I adored Kelly – her energy, outlook, determination and drive to be the best mom she could be. No matter the cost to her, the price was never too high for her. Afterall, what mother wouldn’t risk it all for her baby? Anthony or Doc as he was called, was little slow to warm up to. He seemed a bit of jerk but I soon came around to see the deeper side to man of medicine. Seeing him and Kelly fall in love all over again was beautiful to witness. Not many people get a second chance with “the one”.
The realism with the medical drama was difficult at times to read because it could have gone either way and when babies are involved – I’m firmly against ANYTHING happening to them. I just could not accept this devastating turn. I pushed on and preserved and am I ever happy that I did.
I needed a few days to gather my thoughts as this book was not only emotional, but heart-wrenching at times to read. I cannot even fathom experiencing what Kelly had to go through. It’s truly a mother’s worse nightmare. Leave it to Amie Knight to beautifully capture this tale of second chances both at life and love. An Imperfect Heart is definitely the book that will you (much as did me) with #AllTheFeels.
Amie Knight is becoming a favorite author of mine; her beautifully written and emotionally charged stories are not to be missed and An Imperfect Heart is another perfect example. It’s a second-chance romance that will have you reaching for the tissues, running through every range of emotions, and falling in love with the incredible cast of characters. I love alternating POV and the story moves from the present to the past, revealing bits and pieces, to get to the underlying story. This touching and moving romance will stay with you long after you finish it; leaving you with a very happy heart at the end!
Kelly Potter never expected to be a single mother, at thirty-two years old. She had dreamed of being a rock star and played drums in a band trying to make it come true. The baby’s father, a fellow musician, wants nothing to do with raising a child so she’s going to have to do it on her own, and forget about her dreams. Having been raised by a single nineteen year-old mother, she’s ashamed of telling her Kelly did the one thing she promised herself she wouldn’t do; be a single mother, too.
“She wanted my career first, marriage second, babies third…I didn’t want to let my mother down. She’d never let me down once.”
At twenty-two weeks Kelly gets devastating news. Her unborn baby has a heart defect and will need several surgeries to repair the damage, the first one shortly after birth. Kelly makes a difficult decision of seeking help from one of the best and gifted pediatric heart surgeons, someone she knew quite intimately years ago. The one person Kelly has never forgotten, almost a decade ago; someone she had spent an incredible night with, only to be devastated by him the next morning. She’ll go and beg for his help, humiliate herself if she has to, for her baby’s sake.
“It almost seemed like a joke, or maybe if you were a person who believed in fate, like some kind of destiny that was written in the wind.”
Dr. Anthony Jackson’s life has been dedicated to saving young lives. It’s been his mission since he decided to become a doctor and he has built quite the reputation. He’s surprised to see Kelly, someone he spent an amazing night with ten years ago and never forgot, asking for his help. Anthony agrees to help Kelly and her baby and maybe make amends for having let her slip away all those years ago. Kelly had said something to him, so many years ago, and he wonders if she still feels the same.
“Yeah, Doc, I believe in second chances. Everyone deserves them. Even hearts.”
Anthony will just have to remind her. He works hard to knock down the walls she has built around her heart, looking for a second chance. He needs to convince Kelly she doesn’t have to do everything on her own and to learn to trust in him. This story! I sat down to read it and pulled an all-nighter, it’ll be gripping you heart from the very beginning and the epilogue had me in tears, once again, but this time they were of joy!
AN ALL YOU CAN FEEL, ALL YOU CAN WANT, ALL YOU CAN ENJOY WITH AN IMPERFECT HEART BY AMIE KNIGHT!
What a really powerful romance right here. I fell in love with the plot. It seemed to reach inside my chest and just tug on my heart. There is just enough angst, just enough heart, and lots of heat to make An Imperfect Heart a VERY satisfactory read. The characters are solid and amazing and the storyline is very easy to follow. I really liked it and am excited for more from Miss Knight!
An Imperfect Heart gets a WILL GIVE YOU ALL THE MANY FEELS FIVE SHOOTING STARS!
Be still my aching heart. What a beautiful, touching, heartwarming story. It’s all about Hope and Faith!
Amie Knight, girl you had me concerned there for a little bit. I swear I didn’t know if my heart was going to survive. But OMG the story is just purely beautiful. I can’t even describe my feelings to their fullest without getting all flustered.
Kelly is a strong willed, amazing woman who literally had my heart aching and rejoicing for her time after time.
Anthony – he is just my HERO – plain and simple! Oh and hot as h@ll too and a total ALPHA MALE!
Put Kelly and Anthony in a room together and the banter and attraction is off the charts. I can’t lie but Kelly does have a bit of a temper on her which just fuels the attraction even more.
Then you can add in both of their Mom’s and you will be cracking up a storm.
In all seriousness, An Imperfect Heart takes you on Kelly and Anthony’s journey of reconnecting after years of not seeing each other. Kelly ultimately seeks out Anthony in hopes of him helping her with her unborn child. Their past is a sketchy one with lots of unanswered questions. Will the two be able to
leave the past behind for the future that is ahead of them? It’s all about the Hope and Faith!
“We knew the greatest gifts life had to offer weren’t the big and easy things. The amazing things were sometimes as hard as steel. But if you looked closely, you could see through all the bad straight to the good where imperfect things become impossibly perfect.”
Reading those words gave me the chills and ultimately brought the book all together for me. I am still sitting here writing this review thinking just WOW! Amie Knight, you have left me with such a full and happy heart when I read the words “The End”. A definite must read in my book! An Imperfect Heart is being added to the list of one of my top reads of 2018!
Amie Knight has simply blown me away with every single one of her books. Her writing style is sharp, witty, vividly detailed and rich in emotion. She creates characters that are endearing and relatable, and her heart-tugging stories are poignant, moving and passionate. They’re exactly the kind that I just sink into and get lost in.
An Imperfect Heart is a beautiful second chance romance. Anthony and Kelly met in a flurry of attraction, connection and passion – at what was, unfortunately, the wrong time in their lives. Through a series of dual point-of-view flashbacks, Knight gives readers their youthful magic, bit by bit, letting them see how they met, how they connected and how they parted. I felt every bit of their bond through those glimpses of their past, and the history of this couple’s relationship unfolds brilliantly through them.
I don’t know how Knight makes it through the writing of her novels, each one is packed with such intense emotions, but she successfully lays it all out for her readers to experience in painstaking detail. Just when it threatens to be too much, she cracks the tension with a dose of well-timed humor. Despite everything weighing so heavily on Kelly, she managed to hang on to her sense of humor. As a mother, Kelly was a very relatable character, and I absolutely felt her desperation and fear, and when she swallowed her pride and approached Anthony all those years later, she definitely earned my respect and empathy. He didn’t make her work very hard, though. Now a successful pediatric heart surgeon, he was loyal, honest, caring and thoughtful, but this man struggled. He was not only dealing with the professional implications of a relationship with Kelly, but he was also dealing with his own demons as well as his growing feelings for her and her baby.
I don’t want to give too much away in this review, but right from the start, Knight drew me into this touching, tender story with a dual pronged plot that managed to be both gut-wrenching and full of hope. A slow burn romance built upon a solid foundation of friendship, I rooted for Anthony and Kelly every step of the way as they sifted through the regrets of their past and faced the uncertainty of the future.
An Imperfect Heart was a truly memorable love story, something Knight is now known for, and one that will stay with me for a long time to come. Five smooches from me for An Imperfect Heart by Amie Knight.
~ Danielle
This is a beautiful story about perfect imperfections, and how an imperfect heart can make all your dreams come true. It’s about having big dreams that terrify you – and turning them into a life you fall in love with every single day. It’s about Hope. And Faith. And filling your life with love.
I absolutely adored Anthony & Kelly’s story, and feel blessed after reading it! The pacing and banter get two thumbs up, and the whole story gets 10+ stars from me! : )
AN IMPERFECT HEART is the story of a mother’s love and how far she will go to save the life of her unborn baby girl. Her sick baby girl that will be born with a serious heart problem. Kelly Potter remembers the day her life would change forever. The doctor said, “The test came back positive. You’re pregnant.”
Kelly played drums in a traveling band that never had made it big. But she was living her dream, just never knowing where she would be sleeping each night. She loved to play her drums, and drums gave life to the music. And the heart was the music of life. So she was going to have a baby. A very sick baby with an imperfect heart and must put that precious baby’s welfare above all else.
She was going to place her child’s life in the hands of the lead pediatric heart surgeon at Duke University Hospital. Dr. Anthony Jackson, heart extraordinaire. He also was the biggest jerk in the entire world. Ten years ago he had shattered her heart into a million pieces and to this very day it had never recovered. But if her baby needed him then she would plead her case. He was a great doctor, granting second chances. She believed in second chances. Everyone deserves them. Even hearts! But could she trust Anthony with a second chance with her own heart!?! She learned everything would be okay as long as they had a little Hope and Faith! And the heart was the Music of Life!
This was such an emotional rollercoaster! An Imperfect Heartby Amie Knight is a captivating second chance romance that will make you cry, laugh, and swoon all in the span of one chapter. It is truly remarkable and heart wrenching. A fantastic read!
Kelly’s world gets turned upside down when she finds out she’s pregnant, and just when she starts getting used to the idea, she gets the news that her baby is sick. After the father wanted nothing to do with the baby, she decides it’s time to grow up and take care of business on her own. Kelly is one of my favorite heroines, she is strong, determined, and protective, she will do anything to safe the life that is growing inside her. She searches out Anthony, her one night stand that went wrong, but one of the best heart surgeons. Sucking in all her pride she knows she needs his help, he is the one who is going to safe her baby.
Anthony is one of the best heart surgeons, also one of the sweetest heros I have ever read. Doc will definitely make you swoon. He had never expected to see Kelly again, let alone have her asking for his help. He always thought she was the one that got away, he messed up the one night they slept together and he knows it. Now she’s back in his life and needs him to help her baby’s imperfect heart. And this time he’s not going tolet her walk away.
This story brought me so many tears, Kelly was very strong and her will was unstoppable. She was going to do whatever it took to give her baby a fighting chance, what she didn’t realize was how much she’d need a partner to fight this battle alongside her. Anthony wasn’t just helping Kelly out of professionalism, he loved her and the baby she carried, he just needed her to see it. Their relationship develops over a lot of doctors appointments, swollen feet, and arguments. It was a slow build, but so great! The chemistry they had was undeniable. It took one little imperfect heart to bring together two people that were meant for one another.
I cannot praise Amie Knight enough, this book was amazing! She brought these characters to life, and gave us a story full of heartache, laughter, and hope.
5 imperfect stars!!
Review by Nancy, Late Night Reviewer for Up All Night w/ Books Blog
Second chances, when they happen, are sweet, don’t come easily and are the epitome of romance. Kelly Potter needs Anthony Jackson. They’ve met before. It didn’t end well. But she needs him and she’s persistent. I love the nervousness the beginning chapters had me feeling. I was right there with Kelly – pumping myself up for what was going to happen. I was smiling as she bantered with her friends. I loved Anthony’s kind heart. They were both perfect with their imperfections. There’s something to be said for mature characters. It makes the story that much more enjoyable. Real life sorrow and happiness, a romance you can connect with – Anthony and Kelly’s story made my heart happy even when it was making it sad. The support and love they get from their family and close friends makes their story that much more endearing. An Imperfect Heart is simply the kind of romance that makes you feel good all over and leaves you smiling.