For fans of Josie Silver’s One Day in December, The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae is a wholly original, charismatic, and uplifting novel that no reader will soon forget. Ailsa Rae is learning how to live. She’s only a few months past the heart transplant that–just in time–saved her life. Now, finally, she can be a normal twenty-eight-year-old. She can climb a mountain. Dance. Wait in line all day … climb a mountain. Dance. Wait in line all day for tickets to Wimbledon.
But first, she has to put one foot in front of the other. So far, things are as bloody complicated as ever. Her relationship with her mother is at a breaking point and she wants to find her father. Then there’s Lennox, whom Ailsa loved and lost. Will she ever find love again?
Her new heart is a bold heart. She just needs to learn to listen to it. From the hospital to her childhood home, on social media and IRL, Ailsa will embark on a journey about what it means to be, and feel, alive. How do we learn to be brave, to accept defeat, to dare to dream?
From Stephanie Butland, author of The Lost for Words Bookshop, The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae will warm you from the inside out.
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Such a charming and unique story, with characters I am so glad I’ve met. (Plus set in modern-day Scotland–with tango–as a lagniappe!) Filled with heart (no pun intended–okay, maybe a little) and life in all its ups and downs, unflinchingly honest with herself Ailsa and her funny, sweet, courageous story will stick with me for a long time.
It took me a bit to finally get into reading this, not quite sure what to expect. A very moving emotional journey of a person living, expected to die, being treated differently all her life. With the much anticipated, do or die, transplant at age 28, everything changes and her discovery of being “normal” isn’t quite what she thought. She is however participating, not just watching, life in all its glory, including the many ups and downs. I laughed, cried, held my breath, or got angry right along with all the characters.
I, myself, would have felt better, as I read to find the HEAs that real life certainly doesn’t guarantee for anyone, if this would’ve had a more uplifting end. I’m kind of adrift right now, tho it’s not a cliffhanger, I didn’t get that happy sigh of relief moving forward, planning a lifetime! I’ll stop right there, that’s what I’m missing from the last pages.
Happy to be a registered organ donor for several years now, I do believe, “The Curious Heart Of Ailsa Rae” brings forth the true need, very eloquently and emotionally, no matter it’s fiction, this could well be someone’s real story. But I’ll forever wonder what became of Ailsa and Seb’s blossoming love or was it the circumstance?
The Curious Heart of Alisa Rae is a heartwarming look at a transplant patient. Once someone gets a new heart, their life totally changes – they go from being an invalid to learning to do things that they could never do before because of their health. This is Alisa’s story from an almost dying 28 year old to a brave and fearless woman who is anxious to live her life to the fullest.
Ailsa has spent all of her life as a heart patient. She was born with a bad heart and has been in and out of the hospital and had numerous surgeries since she was born. She’s now 28 and getting closer to death than she ever has before. She can’t do anything but lay in bed and try to breath, never knowing if it will be her last breath. Suddenly she gets the word that there is a heart available and it’s hers. Once it’s transplanted she has to heal in two ways – she has to heal physically and she has to heal emotionally and not be afraid to start living her life as a normal 28 year old woman would.
This is a heartwarming story about learning to live life to its fullest after living a totally confined life. You’ll love watching Ailsa grow and become braver and stronger as she realizes that she can have a life and plan a future.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
This is a lovely story of a young woman who has to learn how to lead a “normal” life after receiving a much-needed heart transplant at the age of 28. Ailsa has been blogging for a while about her life as a young woman in need of a transplant, and her blog entries help inform us about her life before and after the transplant. Post-transplant life proves to be a bit more tricky than she or her mother had anticipated – Ailsa finds her growing independence to be both liberating and frightening, and her mother has a difficult time letting go, especially since Ailsa has led such a sheltered life. When her blog wins an award in its genre, she sets out on her journey through her “new normal”. Along the way we meet the new people in Ailsa’s life, and we’re gradually let in on the mystery of the father she’s never known. All along the way we’re pulling for Ailsa to “make good choices” as she takes new risks with her expanding life. It’s sweet and sad and funny and heartbreaking and charming. I combined listening to the audiobook with reading this one, and the narrator definitely added to my enjoyment with her lovely accents. Definitely enjoyable either way.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy for an unbiased review.
Makes you truly grateful for your life, reading this. A heartbreaking and heartwarming piece of work. Really inspiring.
Ailsa has just received a life saving heart transplant and now wants to make up for lost time and take advantage of her new life. During this story we see Alisa’s transformation, triumphs and struggles as she adjusts to her new life. Watching Alisa grow and mature as a person warmed my heart. There is a love interest, Seb but I liked that this wasn’t the main focus of the book. This story also touched on organ donation and really made me think about possibly becoming a donor. It truly is a big life changing decision and one not to be taken lightly. This was my first time reading Stephanie Butland and I really enjoyed this heart warming story.
Ailsa is struggling. She has had multiple surgeries throughout her short life. And now, with a heart transplant, she can start living. But, can she do it? She has been sheltered and kept at home. Can she actually start living the life she has always hoped for?
Ailsa is a blogger. She has blogged about her multiple surgeries and her heart transplant. She is asked to do an interview about the importance of the transplant list. This leads her to Sebastian. She and Sebastian become good friends. And then they become more. But, because her medication, Ailsa has put on some pounds. The internet and journalists bully her on line because for her weight. No one can believe Sebastian would be dating her. There are multiple story lines in this novel…The mystery of Ailsa father, her life as a transplant patient, and her life as a “sort of” celebrity. Her strength and resilience are astounding. Her ability to overcome and keep going through ALL her issues really amazed me. A heartwarming novel of courage and tenacity. Do not miss this one! I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
I wasn’t expecting how emotional The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae made me. I knew, going into it that it was a book about life after a transplant. The physical limitations, the medications that need to be taken, and don’t forget, the mental adjustment is enormous. The author did a fantastic job of showing that all.
The plotline for The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae was well written and well researched. There were a few times where I wished that there was a glossary for different medical terms. I liked the pacing of the book too. It wasn’t too fast, and it wasn’t too slow. It was just right for me to get settled in and read.
I liked Ailsa. The strength that she showed during the book was unbelievable. I mean, she had a heart transplant!! I loved her sense of humor and her determination to have a healthy life. There were things about her I didn’t like. She was too trusting and wore her heart on her sleeve. She battled her mother about her biological father. And then there was Seb….sigh.
I wasn’t a fan of the blog inserts. I get why the author wrote them. It gave additional insight into how Ailsa’s mind worked. It showed how her mindset evolved from right before the transplant to the end of the book. Still, I wasn’t a fan. I had an issue transitioning between the POV. It went from 2nd person (the blog posts) to 3rd person. Also, while I am on it, I wasn’t a fan of the articles written about Ailsa and Seb. To me, those articles show everything that is wrong with today’s society. No wonder Ailsa freaked out. I would have too.
Ailsa’s relationship with Seb was cute until the end. Then it got confusing. After that sound bit was released (and yes, it sounded awful), I wasn’t sure what they were. That last email between them only muddied the waters for me. I hate being confused!!!
I do want to mention that a lot of British and Scottish slang is used. I did have an issue with the Scottish slang. Mainly being that I only read historical Scottish romances and modern-day slang isn’t allowed. Again, it would have been handy to have a glossary included.
The storyline with Hayley, Ailsa, and her biological father broke my heart. I was with Ailsa at first. She had every right to learn about her biological father. I couldn’t understand why Hayley wasn’t so forthcoming. Then, at the end of the book, everything was revealed, and I understood. I won’t say much more about it except that Hayley handled everything like a BOSS!!! I loved her!!
The end of The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae was emotional for me. There was confusion about Seb and Ailsa. But it was the final chapter that had me sobbing. I loved it!!
This was an unusual book. I’ve never read anything on how to process being a transplant recipient. This story is how Ailsa Rae is born with a heart defect and how her mother fought valiantly to keep her alive. This journey also includes Lennox, who was her first boyfriend, but lost his battle for a transplant. Even though she is 28, she has never been treated like an adult. It is about growing pains. Finding a job, finding your purpose in life. In the midst of finding herself, she meets Sebastian. He is an actor and famous. What he loves about her, is that she has no clue who he is. They can be just 2 people getting to know each other. I love how they are together. Show biz can be brutal and nothing that is ever recorded is lost. Can they get past this recording? To err is human, to forgive is divine.
Moving, inspiring, and heartfelt!
The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae is a pensive, tender novel that takes us into the life of the courageous, optimistic Ailsa Rae who after living a sheltered, timid life due to a congenital heart defect is struggling to recover, adapt, relearn, and become more adventurous after a heart transplant saves her life.
The writing is direct and sincere. The characters are charming, authentic, and amusing. And the plot using an intriguing mixture of narration, letters, newspaper articles, blog posts, and emails is a delightfully witty, bittersweet tale about life, love, loss, family, friendship, self-discovery, happiness, and taking chances.
Overall, The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae is a thought-provoking, romantic, touching tale by Butland that does an exceptional job of highlighting the demand, necessity, and importance of organ donation, and has just the right amount of laughs, tears, endearing characters, and heartfelt storyline to be completely absorbing.
I was intrigued when I read the blurb for The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae by Stephane Butland and I am so happy decided to read it. This was such a heartwarming story about a woman discovery her path. Ailsa’s life has changed so much in such a short time. After being sick for a long time, she finally gets a transplant that changes her life. Her friend and lover died before he could get his transplant and she is at a standstill with her mother. Her best form of coping is her blog, but now that she has a second chance, how does she move forward? The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae by Stephanie was a story about second chances told in unique ways.
Happy reading!
Set in present day Edinburgh, Ailsa is a blogger, who talks about her heart condition and the resultant limited activity life she has led, using the pseudonym Blue Heart. Her father left before she could remember him and her mother has been the expected over protective, hovering force in her life. Now almost age thirty, Ailsa has managed to get an education and make friends, but since she lived expecting her lifespan to be shorter than most, she never counted on a long term romantic relationship or raising her own family. She turns to her blog readers to make life decisions for her, such as what to wear, how to act, risks to take, etc. Finally, she gets the CALL that a donor heart is available.
After the transplant, certain opportunities open up for Ailsa, including meeting an actor most others (not she) had heard of. They begin a friendship of sorts and their communications are part of this book’s tale. He has also had a transplant surgery, although of a very different sort.
From both points of view, the readers get the chance to examine their own feelings and beliefs about life, health and relationships. Death and regrets make an appearance in the story.
I personally have known persons waiting on a new heart or lungs, kidney, etc. That was one reason I wanted to read this book. I wanted a new perspective. I also enjoy reading about relationships and second chances. This author has a pleasant conversational style. Her characters are interesting, relatable, realistic. I was rooting for Ailsa to survive and get the chances she had been fearing to look forward to. There is also reference to a Dancing with Stars type show and admit it, a little gossip is enjoyable.
Unlike most other books you will find, this was a refreshing escape read.
There is not much to say about this book except that it is the sweetest, most interesting book I have read in a long time. It is a delightful story with serious overtones and deep, rich characters. You should go and read it right now. The beginning is absolutely stunning. It really grabbed me, because I had no idea what to expect. I was charmed by Alisa from the start. She has been waiting for a heart for a long time. Her world has gotten smaller and smaller and more restricted and limited. She depends on her mother for nearly everything. When she gets a new heart, she has to learn to live instead of preparing to die. Wanting to be independent and wanting to meet the father that abandoned her and her mother the minute the going got tough puts a strain on her relationship with her mother. Is it worth it to take these risks? Alisa has a blog and for a long time has deferred her big life decisions to her follower’s votes. Should she continue to do that or is it time to take charge of her own life and rely on her new, strong heart?
This book was just a simple joy to read. It soars and falls and made me cry and made me laugh. Her budding romance is tentative and bold at the same time. It was a pleasure to take the journey with Alisa and her friends and family as she learns to navigate life with a new, very curious heart.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for providing a copy of The Curious Heart of Alisa Rae. All opinions are my own. I loved this book and recommend it without hesitation.
Ailsa Rae has a serious heart ailment and is waiting for a transplant. Not expecting to live very long, she hasn’t comtemplated what she would even do if she wasn’t ill. Her blog is where she really gets to interact with people, and she has quite a following, calling herself BlueHeart. But after a transplant heart is identified, and Ailsa makes it through the aftermath, she has some questions she needs to answer. What is she going to do now that she has a new heart?
What follows is a sometimes cute and sometimes insightful treatment of how one chooses to live their life after a serious illness, told through a mashup of chapters, blog posts and emails. I liked that about the book as it added some levity to the story. I also really liked Ailsa and how she handled herself through some of the tougher moments she encounters.
I was really drawn into the story quickly, and The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae is a quick read that will have you asking what you might do if you had a second chance. I really liked this story and the revelations Ailsa makes throughout. Her mother is a terrific secondary character as well. Overall, a satisfying read from a new-to-me author.
An ARC was provided by the publisher.
The Curious Heart of Alisa Rae by Stephanie Butland is to me a “coming of age story” or a”second chance at life story” for late 20s Alisa.
This is a light read and almost feels like a YA story, however the character is almost 30. In some respects she is still a young adult in the fact that the growth of most of her adult life has been stunted and in limbo due to the fact that she was dealing with the deterioration of a congenital cardiac birth defect. Receiving life-altering surgery, Alisa now has a new life to live.
Dealing with the complete change of now having all of these years ahead of you and not knowing what to do with this time, is a blessing but a challenge as well.
This book deals with Alisa’s new path and the changes of her relationships in respect to that. The complex relationship she has with her mother, Hayley is added to the mix, as well as other relationships in Alisa’s life.
The book is written as Alisa in that she is the main character, however it is not just written inside Alisa’s head, but also through her blog (which is her outlet during this time), as well as email correspondence.
The shaking up of the format added an interesting twist. All in all a good read with a good ending.
4/5 stars
An interesting story that pulls at your emotions, about a young heart transplant recipient trying to enter into adulthood after years of chronic illness. An overall good read.
Thanks for an advanced copy from NetGalley for an honest review.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book as it’s not my usual genre but I loved it. Ailsa had waited years for a new heart & time was running out but at almost the last minute she received her new heart. Now she can look forward to living again. I loved the way the author had both light hearted & more serious issues blended in the book so I found it both bittersweet & joyful. Some of the most bittersweet moments were the flashbacks to the time before the transplant. I also loved how the relationship between Ailsa & her mother evolved.
A lovely read that I thoroughly enjoyed
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
I loved the way this story was told without a lot of sentiment and angst. I thought all of the characters were well developed, with just enough backstory revealed to understand their place in the interactions but surprises left to be revealed in time to create conflict and move the story forward. The medical details were well researched. Through the use of blog posts, emails, media articles, and narrative, Stephanie Butland weaves a tale of the girl who lived, but who, after 28 years of being prepared to die, didn’t really know how to live. Born with a heart defect, Ailsa didn’t make decisions based on an assumption that she would still be alive in a month or a year, and deferred as many decisions as possible to others, including her blog’s audience. I enjoyed seeing her learn to think, feel, and act for herself. I was satisfied with the ending.
I requested and voluntarily read a complimentary copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley and I offer my honest opinions in response.
So this book is about a woman who needs a heart transplant and gets it. It’s about her life after knowing she is going to live a long life. For the most part I liked this book. There are somethings that were annoying. The whole Apple thing was bizarre and annoying. I just didn’t get it and wished it would stop. I also agreed with her mother and Seb about her Blog. I liked Seb even with the thing he did. I also think it was harsh how she went about maybe forgiving him. That left a very unsatisfying ending to this book. At one point near the end Ailsa does recognize that she was still acting like a child instead of the adult she was. I have to agree with that assessment. The whole reading what someone goes through with a transplant was interesting and heartbreaking.
*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*
This was simply wonderful! Beautiful, insightful writing, wonderful characters and ALL the emotions! Ailsa is a 28 yo heart transplant recipient who has lived under threat of death since birth. We’re beside her as she navigates her new normal…the ups and downs, the losses and gains as she finds herself and reexamines her closest relationships. Heartwarming, heartbreaking, hilarious, and illuminating.
Out 10/29
Thanks to #StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.