#BookReview of #PaperHeart by Cecelia Ahern

‘Pip’s world is small. But it’s about to become a whole lot bigger.‘

[ About Paper Heart ]

For years she’s tucked away her dreams, shrinking herself into the space left behind – like the delicate origami she creates alone in her room.

Then hope comes from an unlikely place: an astronomer from the local observatory. He teaches her to look up at the stars, and to see a world far bigger and more beautiful than she ever imagined.

And perhaps in that big, beautiful universe there’s someone waiting for her. If she can find the courage to open her heart.

Pip never stopped dreaming, but now it’s time for her to live – and maybe even to fall in love.

[ My Review ]

Paper Heart by Cecelia Ahern publishes August 28th with Harper Collins and is described as ‘heartwarming and uplifting, a story of finding yourself – and finding your way home’.

Pip is thirty-two years of age, still living at home with her parents and her daughter Bella. Pregnant at sixteen had left Pip in a precarious situation. With the love of her life, Jamie, they had dreams, but their parents had other ideas, ensuring that the two would be kept at arms length at all times. Jamie was sent to England and Pip remained stuck at home.

Over the years, her mother took control of everything, leaving Pip lacking confidence and lost. Art had always been her passion but she never was given the opportunity to fulfil her dreams. When alone in her bedroom, she makes origami figurines, each piece accompanied by a poem. These creations are tucked away in boxes, each symbolising Pip’s state of mind at any given time.

Pip works in the deli at a local service station and one day she crosses paths with a scientist, Io, who works at the local observatory. He gently encourages her to look up and see a world far bigger than the one she currently inhabits. As the situation at home gets more stressful, Pip begins to ask questions about this life that has been curated for her, one that she has had little input with. She opens her eyes and really starts to look at her relationship with others but most importantly with herself.

In this voyage of self-discovery, Cecelia Ahern captures Pip’s transformation as she begins to challenge her life and slowly unfolds her heart. Her metamorphosis is shocking to her parents but Pip is determined, once and for all, to turn her life around. Multiple obstacles are thrown in her way but having looked up, with the help of Io, she can no longer be contained.

Paper Heart is a sweet novel, one that highlights many important themes, written with Cecelia Ahern’s unique stamp. There is an element to the plot, however, that does require quite a stretch of the imagination so if you are prepared to accept it, then this could just be the romantic read you have been waiting for!

[ Bio ]

Cecelia Ahern is an Irish novelist whose work was first published in 2004. Her debut novel PS I Love You was an international bestseller and was adapted to film starring Hilary Swank. Her second novel, Where Rainbows End, was adapted into Love, Rosie starring Lily Collins.

Her books have been published in over thirty-seven languages, and have sold over twenty-five million copies. In addition to her novels, she is also the author of a highly acclaimed collection of stories, Roar, which is now an Apple Original series starring Nicole Kidman on Apple TV+.