Having read a few of Cecelia’s other books I was grateful to have the opportunity to read this as ARC thanks to NetGalley.
For me this book resonated on a few personal levels having had my teenage daughter have a baby at a young age I could empathise with the main character Pip who gives birth to Bella at the age of 16 and living in her family home.
For myself I was conscious to not step on my daughter’s toes and mother my granddaughter myself but for Pip she was put in the position of feeling more like a sister to her own daughter.
As I say this felt like a personal read for me and I really enjoyed seeing how the story unfolded for Pil and Bella.
Lovely story kept me involved from start to finish.

Initially, I found this book a little slow and did wonder if I would enjoy it as I found myself frustrated by Pip in the first few chapters. However, at about 12% through on Kindle, and knowing Ahern usually writes for a deeper emotional impact, I found I was hooked. Of course Pip is frustrating… because the whole novel is built around her personal growth and rediscovery of herself! And I absolutely loved her throughout.

Ahern writes in such a way that you really do feel emotions for her characters. Love, hate, angst, fear, hope… this book did not disappoint.

No spoilers, but I did hope Josephine would follow a character arc and we would see some softening to her, but alas, she stayed true to form and perhaps that in itself is part of Ahern’s magic- her characters represent all types of people, including good & bad and people somewhere inbetween.

I loved the plot to this story and was happy with the ending. As other reviewers state, it gave closure to the characters and was exactly what I’d hoped for.

As an aside, the one character I am still pondering is Io. Was he really who he said, was he what Pip thought, Jamie thought, or was he actually something else? Would love to know if I’ve missed something but I have a feeling the ambiguity is intentional. Either way, a great addition to the story and a great secondary character to influence Pip.

Rating: ★★★½ out of 5

At first, I found Pip quite frustrating especially in how she handled her relationship with her mother. She seemed to lack a backbone, which made the beginning a bit hard to get through. However, I did appreciate witnessing her journey and growth into a much stronger, more confident woman as the story progressed.

The pacing at the start felt slow, which made it a bit of a struggle to stay fully engaged. Then, just as the plot was building up towards the climax, it felt like the tension suddenly dropped off, which was disappointing.

That said, I really enjoyed the happy ending — it gave a satisfying closure to the characters’ journeys. Overall, Paper Hearts had its moments of charm and emotional growth, but a more gripping start and a stronger climax would have made it a much more compelling read.

Cecelia Ahern’s Paper Heart is a quiet triumph—a novel that speaks softly but resonates deeply. At its core, it’s a story about Pip, a young woman who has folded herself into the smallest possible version of life, much like the delicate origami she creates. But when an astronomer from the local observatory introduces her to the vastness of the night sky, Pip begins to unfold—slowly, gently, and with great emotional clarity.

This is a book filled with big thoughts, wrapped in the simplicity of everyday moments. Ahern’s prose is elegant and restrained, allowing the emotional weight of Pip’s journey to emerge organically. There’s a quiet hopefulness throughout, even as the novel touches on themes of isolation, grief, and the courage it takes to step into the unknown.

The environmental awareness woven into the narrative adds another layer of depth, reminding us of our place in the wider universe and our responsibility to it. The connection between the stars above and the earth below mirrors Pip’s own journey from inward retreat to outward exploration.

For readers familiar with Brian Friel’s work, there’s a subtle but powerful echo of Ballybeg here. Like Friel’s fictional village, Pip’s world is both specific and universal—a small place that holds a mirror to larger human truths. Ahern captures that same sense of rootedness and longing, of characters caught between memory and possibility. 

Paper Heart is a beautiful, introspective novel that invites readers to pause, reflect, and look up. It’s a reminder that even the quietest lives can contain galaxies of meaning.

Pip and her 16 year old daughter are still living at home with her overbearing mother and father. However what starts out as a desperately sad and heartbreaking story changes as Pip starts to flourish and realise her true self worth.
A beautiful story with an amazing ending which I couldn’t put down.
Thanks to NetGalley, Cecelia Ahern and Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction for an advance copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

A lovely, slow and emotional read. Pip has been completely dominated by her mother since she gave birth at 16 and now she lives inside her head barely able to connect with her own daughter. She creates beautiful poetry hidden away in her tiny bedroom but gradually she comes to life as she makes a supportive friend and starts to gain confidence.

This was incredibly sad at times but it's also a beautiful story of a coming-of-age and of enduring love.

This is such a wonderful story and I would expect no less from Cecilia Ahern. The book centers around Pip and her family and themes of learning to love yourself and accept yourself despite flaws and mistakes. The family drama surrounding our FMC adds so much depth and richness to the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

This was a thoughtful family drama, gently told but with very strong characters. Pip became a mum to Bella at 16 to the shame of her family and has since been treated like a lesser member of the family with her own mum being very domineering and standing in the way of her being Bella’s mum and being treated almost like Bella’s sister. Pip has led a very small and sheltered life and isn’t really respected in her family which does make for quite sad reading. When Io enters her life as a new friend Pip really starts to look at her life and her position in her family and I loved seeing how Pip started to grow. This does feature some very challenging family dynamics but otherwise is a very warm and uplifting read, definitely one of the best Cecilia Ahern has written in my opinion.

What a delightful book about learning to accept yourself and mistakes and move past them. I loved Pips journey of self discovery helped by Io and how he saw her.

The side story with Sammy and the Quarry provided a great backdrop for the take to unfurl.

And I just loved Jamie.

a fantastic by a fantastic author

It is the story of the life of a woman in her 30’s living in Ireland
Who brought shame on her family. As a 16 year old. It tells of her struggles to get out of their stifling life and forge a new life for herself with the help of friends

A beautiful story about healing and hope

Paper Heart is a touching, uplifting novel about learning to open yourself up to life again after hurt. The main character, Pip, is quiet and cautious, living a small, safe life. But when she meets someone who helps her see the world differently, everything begins to change.

Cecelia Ahern has a lovely way of writing emotional stories without being too heavy. This book is about friendship, love, and finding the courage to grow. It made me smile, reflect, and feel hopeful. A gentle, heart-warming read—perfect if you enjoy character-driven stories with a touch of inspiration.

I struggled to care too much about the characters in this book. Whilst I ultimately enjoyed it it’s not a book I would return.

This book was a real surprise.

I wasn’t sure about how much I would enjoy this book from the first few pages, although this assessment quickly changed shortly after.

It opened up into a more complex story than at first I expected, and became much more interesting as I started resonating emotionally with the main character.

But then it opened up again into a more in depth story with other characters joining the mix.

I especially loved the arty, poetic parts where Pip expressed her feelings as origami figures and objects.

This was a moving, heart wrenching, and inspiring tale of love, connection and empowerment.

Pip is a mother who never got to be a mother as her mum took over when she gave birth to Bella at 16 years old with her partner Jamie being sent away to Liverpool.

She grows up with Bella not acknowledging her as her mum and her parents still treating Pip like a child. Pip meets Io who encourages her to chase her dreams and live for her. Jamie then comes back too and everything changes. Pip fights back against her parents and is determined to fight against Sammy and his family who are creating houses not fit for purpose.

The story is well written, with likeable characters, giving a lot of onus to origami. It didn’t hook me in and I only read it to the end to see what would happen. I’d give it a 4 out of 5.

Another great read as you would expect from this author never disappoints. A really well written book a beautiful story about Pip who has not followed her dreams but starts to find and believe In herself when she meets Io an astronomer who gives her confidence and courage to finally reach for the stars and that she can achieve anything she wants.A must read for Cecelia Ahern fans

I really enjoyed this book - Pip had a baby at 16 and has since lived at home with her life being dominated by her mother. She did not finish school and has left the major decisions of her life to her parents. Her world is incredibly small - that is until she meets a scientist from the local observatory and he encourages her to look to the stars and to want more than her current enclosed life.

She begins to exert herself, rebuild her life with her daughter and foster a new relationship with the father of her child.

I admired her courage and her determination to live her life differently.

The story is about Pip, a young woman who had a baby when she was still at school. She was in love with her boyfriend but they both had domineering families that split the young lovers up. Pip’s mum, Josephine, took over completely, as though she was a mum rather than grandmother.
Pip is now 32 and her daughter, Bella 16. In the holidays Bella works in the canteen at the local observatory with Josephine while Pip works at a local garage making sandwiches. They now live outside of town since Pip’s dad built the family a new house on land he was sold by the owners of the local quarry where he works. Pip can’t drive so is reliant on her mum and dad for transport.
One day Pip meets a scientist from the observatory who changes her life for ever and makes her realise what an insular life she has been leading.

My first cecelia ahern book and it’s was beautiful and emotional. I really loved pip. It’s thought provoking and emotional. Pip and her mother have a hard relationship and as the book moved on I was so happy for pip to finally come out of her shell and live her life and be who she wants to be.

Paper Heart is a profoundly emotional and exquisitely crafted narrative about discovering one's voice and reclaiming one's life. Both heartbreaking and uplifting, this novel delves into toxic family dynamics, lost aspirations, and the path to healing through poetry, introspection, and resilience. It is a poignant journey of self-worth, culminating in a twist ending that renders it unforgettable.

Been a fan of Ahern's books since P.S I love you and this latest book definately climbs towards the top 3 of my favourites list

This was such a gentle, quietly emotional read – I’d rate it a solid 3 stars. Paper Heart felt like a warm hug, the kind of book that doesn’t shout but slowly seeps into you. Pip is such a beautifully written character – so vulnerable and small at the start, yet you feel her begin to unfold, bit by bit, like the origami she makes. I loved being with her on that journey.

The story isn’t about big drama or flashy romance – it’s about hope, healing, and slowly stepping into your own light. I really liked the astronomy element too – it gave the book this quiet wonder, and the way the stars mirrored Pip’s expanding world was just really lovely. It made me emotional in a very soft, introspective kind of way.

It’s definitely more on the gentle, reflective side than anything super plot-heavy or fast-paced, but if you’re in the mood for something sweet, thoughtful, and quietly inspiring, this one is a little gem.