The Heart of Him

By: Katie Fox

Narrated by: Troy Duran, Keira Stevens

Sixteen months ago, Cassidy Porter lost the love of her life.

Every day since has been a battle to carry on, but despite what her mother and sister say, she’s making progress - or is she?

When she receives an invitation to attend a banquet in honor of the organ donors and their recipients, she has every reason to guard what remains of her shattered heart.

Maybe this will be the closure she needs to finally mend its pieces.

For the last 28 years, Samuel Copeland has been afraid to live.

Diagnosed with a genetic heart condition, he knows better than anyone that second chances don’t come along often. Since his transplant, he spends his days in the local coffee shop, watching and observing, trying to make sense of all he’s been given.

Grateful doesn’t begin to describe it.

When the opportunity to meet the person who was closest to his selfless donor presents itself - a chance to say thank you for saving him - he takes it.

What’s the worst that can happen?

Brought together by fate - or perhaps, something else entirely - the two form an unexpected bond, one that has them both asking: can two hearts be destined only to beat for each other?

©2018 Katie Fox (P)2019 Katie Fox

Heartwarming

This story totally tugs at your heartstrings and if you have ever lost anyone close to to death you will see. Now this this not totally about sadness it is also about regaining life and love and family. I enjoyed it but I did think it was a bit long. Narration was excellent loved it.

There is beauty in the broken.

"You may have the heart of him, but I'm in love with the whole of you."

There are times when you listen to a book that you become so engrossed in the story that the book hangover stays with you, and you know it's not going anywhere anytime soon. This story by Katie Fox is one of them. Fox, an amazing indie author, weaves a story of grief and guilt, and of love and second chances. Cassidy has lost Adam, the love of her life, and is having a very difficult time coming to terms with her loss. It's been 16 months, and it's like it was yesterday. When she attends a reception for organ donors and their recipients, she meets Sam. Sam has lived his life with a genetic heart problem, and even with the receipt of his donor heart has not begun to live. These two meeting changes everything. Sam and Cassidy are each broken, but as a glass artist, Sam can see the "beauty in the broken". He can see Cassidy for who she is. Will these two be able to heal each other? I was mesmerized by this story. It's a slow burn with several unpredictable twists that are life changing. It's learning to deal with grief, not only as an adult, but as a child losing a parent. It's beginning to live life to it's fullest, taking advantage of that second chance given to you and finding that though broken, you can be healed. I loved every minute of this story. It teaches us that we can't live with what if's and find happiness. We can learn to live and love again, and find that bond. Katie will bring you to tears and then fill your heart. It's a listen you don't want to miss.

With story like this, with such incredible emotions, the narrators have to be chosen carefully. Keira Stevens as Cassidy pulls out all the stops in her performance. Cassidy is complex, is working through so much and Stevens hones in each scene making us feel her pain, letting us be frustrated with her and let us love again. Troy Duran as Sam gives us that heartfelt feeling. Sam is strong, yet he holds a passion and warmth that Duran finds and lets us in on. He also has that heart rendering voice, letting us in on the mass of emotion Sam goes through. These two gave amazing performances, and this is one of my best listens of the year.

Touching, Heartbreaking, Beautiful Story

Besides the fact that the always-amazing Troy Duran is the male narrator on this book, the premise of this story attracted me right away. A second chance at life because of someone's organ donation is so incredible to me. What a gift, and to know that someone else had to lose his/her life for someone else to live... there are no words.

Katie Fox crafts a beautiful story. Sam received the heart of Cassidy's boyfriend, Adam, who died in a tragic accident. There's understandable guilt all around, for Sam because Adam had to die for him to live; for Cassidy because she blames herself for Adam's death. Cassidy and Sam meet at an organ donation event and develop feelings for each other, creating greater complications.

I was caught up in the story immediately, drawn into the Sam and Cassidy's world further, rooting for them all the way, because of Troy Duran's and Keira Stevens' incredible performances! They enhance the depth of emotions the author wrote so much, making the investment in the story and characters even more special to me. This is a book I will listen to again and again. I loved it!

All the right feels

I don't know if I have ever rooted harder for any fictional couple than I did for these two.
My last couple of reads have been meandering stories that hit a few plot points and circle back before landing on an impossiblely ridiculous happy ending. I was so happy to read a solidly plotted story with semi-realistic complications and fully rounded characters.
Troy's wonderfully deep voice can read to me any time! Keira was new to me and it took a while for to her to settle in but once she did, she became the character.
A very solid read, definitely worth a credit.

Great Story & Audible Listen🎧 Heartfelt & Emotiona

This beautiful story is the type of story that tugs are your heartstrings, it mesmerized me from start to end. The original storylines are realistic and relatable. The characters are complex and well developed. Cassidy’s heart was broken after her losing the love of her life. She existed but barely lived, she could not get past her own grief and guilt. Because of a genetic heart condition Sam Copeland did not allow himself to live. He had his own heartbreaks, losing his Mom when he was nine years old. Sam, a glass artist is a master of making beautiful art from broken pieces. He sees something in Cassidy, he knows she is broken but he still sees the beauty within. I really liked these two together and rooted for them from the start. They needed to get past their own issues and learn how to live. Guilt can be so ugly, so consuming and sometimes it takes others to show you the way to get deal with it. My heart went out to these two, the secrets and guilt they harbored was heart wrenching. This is my first book by Katie Fox and it will not be my last. I liked how she plotted the story, revealing enough information to keep you thinking and throwing in some unexpected twists at the end. She takes you on Cassi & Sam’s emotional rollercoaster ride, gives you an inside view of what they are going thru, where they came from and finally where they wind up. This is a great love story, one of forgiveness and letting go and learning to live again, to love again. Thank you for this great story!

I listened to the Audible edition, Keira Stevens & Troy Duran are wonderful narrators and voice performers. They bring the characters to life, give each their own voice and personality. They did an awesome job projecting the emotions of the characters in to their performance. They are entertaining storytellers and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for this awesome listen🎧

Almost perfect!

I won this Audiobook from Troy Duran’s Month of 300 celebration and I got to say (not just because I enjoy his voice acting), it was really great! A tad long, but then the longer the book, the more I feel like I get the most use of my time. There were moments Keira got a little robotic but as the chapter moved on, she loosened up and I really liked her. Did I want to smack her character sometimes? Yeah, but the heart is a complicated organ and that is what this story had and was about, a heart.

Heart breaking and heartwarming story!

Cassi and Sam are both trying to recover from major heart breaking events in their lives. Katie Cox has created 2 characters that will steal your heart from the beginning and keep it captive even after the book ends. These two are going through very realistic situations. Cassi suffers through grief and guilt. Sam suffers through loss of a mother and father that can't deal with this loss, a heart that is too fragile to enjoy life, and survivor's guilt. As Katie Fox leads us on their journey she reveals so much more about these two so you get a total understanding of them. Her final big revelation really shocked me. Cassi and Sam have to heal and forgive themselves and each in order to be together. This will not be easy.

The narrators did an amazing job. Keira Stevens captures the heartbreak that Cassi feels. I could hear the immense sadness in her voice. Troy Duran portrays the rollercoaster ride of emotions that Sam is experiencing. These two narrators make this Audible book come to life and definitely worth listening to. I received this Audible book and voluntarily wrote an unbiased review. I highly recommend this Audible book. It will take your emotions on a rollercoaster ride also.

remarkable

Had it not been for Troy Duran, I would never have been introduced to this author. Katie wrote an overwhelming and heart-wrenching tale that left me emotionally drained. Samuel and Cassidy's love story is unique and touching as these two work through the guilt of a life that was robbed. Troy Duran and Keira Stevens captured the characters perfectly and made this unforgettable romance a remarkable experience.

Did not finish. Boring.

Liked the story line...could have been better. I gave it til chapter 15... hardly any Troy up until then, and if that's the case---Im out!