About the Book

The perfect daughter. The perfect girlfriend. The perfect murder?

Jenna is seriously ill. She’s lost all hope of getting the heart transplant she needs to live. But just as her life is ebbing away, she receives a donor heart from a girl called Callie.

Who was Callie and how did she die? Jenna is determined to find out.

The closer Jenna gets to those who loved Callie, the more questions arise about her untimely death. Someone knows what happened to Callie. Why won’t they talk?

Jenna is about to uncover the truth, but it could cost her everything; her loved ones, her sanity, even her life.

My Thoughts

This book is such a compulsive read – once you start it you’ll find it incredibly hard to put down again until you’ve finished it!

I very much enjoyed this novel. It’s a fascinating idea to centre a novel around, the possibility of cellular memory – where people who’ve had a heart transplant retain the memories of the organ donor. I’ve seen documentaries about it and know it’s something that is being researched so this novel was one I couldn’t resist. It’s refreshing to read a thriller that has a different premise to any I’ve read in a long time.

Jenna has had a heart transplant and then breaks up with her long-term boyfriend as she doesn’t want to be a burden him. She then begins having vivid nightmares that feel real to her and starts to wonder if the nightmares are actually her donor Callie’s memories. This sets Jenna down the path of wanting to meet Callie’s family and to discover if there’s more to what happened to Callie than is being said.

It was also interesting to read about STS – Secondary Traumatic Syndrome as I’d not heard of that before. I have suffered with PTSD in the past and I know how anxious and terrified I felt all the time, and that was without the additional fear that Jenna has that someone really is trying to get to her because of her investigation into Callie’s death. I was willing someone to take her seriously but at the same time I kept trying to work out if it could all be just paranoia on Jenna’s part. At times I felt I was right there with her and my heart was thumping so hard as I read on to see if something awful was about to happen.

I love the way that nearly every chapter ends on a mini cliff-hanger – it kept me turning the pages late into the night and eventually I decided I simply couldn’t go to bed until I knew the truth!

I was kept guessing throughout this novel which was great. I read a lot of thrillers and often figure out the end well before it happens but this book got me. There were parts that I’d worked out but I didn’t manage to put the whole thing together and I loved that it shocked me and yet all made sense once I knew.

I’d highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good psychological thriller that really will keep you guessing until the very end!

The Gift is due to be published on 16th December and can be pre-ordered now!

I received a copy of The Gift from Bookouture in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author

Louise Jensen is a best selling author of psychological thrillers.  Her debut novel ‘The Sister,’ reached No. 1 in the UK and Canadian Amazon chart within 3 weeks of release, No.1 in Apple’s iBooks and is listed as a USA Today Bestseller.

‘The Sister’ is a book about a grieving girl who thought there was nothing as frightening as being alone – she was wrong.

‘The Gift’ is Louise’s second book, due for publication on the 16th December 2016.

Louise also writes flash fiction, and features and articles for both magazines and online publications. Louise specialises in writing about mindfulness, chronic pain and mental health.

(Bio taken from Louise Jensen’s website)